


Arranged

by Classybetts



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forced Marriage, Gang Violence, Greendale Ghoulies, Gun Violence, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, This is not vughead, Wedding, Wedding Planning, drug talk, gang rivalry, southside serpents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:40:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 84,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24750967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Classybetts/pseuds/Classybetts
Summary: Betty Cooper has always done what she wants. This included running away from her home when she was sixteen, and joining a dangerous gang that her own diseased father had once been apart of. The Ghoulies. With the help of her best friend, Veronica, also known as the Ghoulie Princess, she adapted to gang life. More quickly than anybody would have expected. She would later gain a dangerous reputation.Years later, the day comes that Veronica Lodge has been dreading. The day she meets the Serpent Prince. Her parents start planning their wedding so they can merge the two gangs. There's only one problem. There is no connection between them at all. The arrogant Serpent Prince instead, finds himself interested in a certain other girl.What happens when two people develop forbidden feelings for each other?
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 182
Kudos: 219





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> You guys know I'm a sucker for some good old gang-related romance. This is a more unique concept, and there will be a lot of angst in it. This is not a love story between Jughead and Veronica. It's about Jughead and Betty. There will be some dark themes throughout this fic, but I promise I will put a trigger warning before each chapter, if I believe it gets to that point.

Arranged marriages. Betty Cooper never missed a chance to make a joke about it, with her best friend. Although Veronica Lodge was not so fond of the jokes. _'What is this? The nineteenth-century?'_ Betty would say in annoyance. She felt Veronica's pain. It wasn't all they talked about. It was brought up occasionally. The idea was more glamorous when Veronica was eight. Her parents told her stories of how when she was all grown up, she would marry a prince. They would rule one big gang, after merging the two gangs. Both Betty and Veronica were twenty-two now, and the day was very close. The day where it would all begin. 

As Veronica grew up, she realized how ridiculous it was. As a kid, marrying a complete stranger sounded so romantic. As an adult, it sounded like complete hell. She had never met the boy. She knew he was her age. Their parents made the deal when both of them were three. Before the whole deal, the two gangs were constantly fighting. It was madness. If a Serpent crossed Ghoulie territory, they would die. And if a Ghoulie killed a Serpent, the Serpents would strike back. 

So, the four leaders came up with a peace deal. Merge the gangs. What's a fair way to do that? Marry our kids. _What a joke_ , Betty thought. The worst part was, Betty was going to be the maid of honor. She would be included in the whole deal. She gagged at the thought. She didn't even understand why Veronica couldn't meet this guy she's supposed to marry, but the parents preferred it that way. 

Everybody was scared of Hiram Lodge. Not Betty. She was usually pretty defiant, to Hiram's annoyance. But she was family. Hiram was the Ghoulie king. The queen was Hermione Lodge. Betty's nickname for her was _kiss ass_. She never made any decisions. Only did and agreed with what Hiram said. Betty thought she was scared of her husband. The idea of marriage at all disgusted Betty to her core. She kept her mouth shut, most of the time. Nobody ever tried to cross her, or make her an enemy. Because they knew what would happen if they did. 

Betty jolted awake and looked at the digital clock on her nightstand. Her vision was blurry. She squinted and tried to ignore the massive pain in her head. It was ten-thirty. She scoffed in anger and quickly threw the covers off of her. 

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" She yelled. The man who had been in bed with her let out a groan. She glared at the back of Malachi's head. "Did you turn off my alarm, asshole?" She asked. 

"Shut up." He muttered into a pillow. Betty quickly took his shirt off that she had been wearing, and threw it across the room. She grabbed one of her shirts from the floor and quickly put it on. 

"Where are my pants?" She asked. Malachi didn't move. His back was slowly rising and falling. Betty picked up a shoe and threw it at him. He quickly sat up after being hit, and looked at her, his eyes full of anger. 

"What the hell?" He yelled. 

"Where are my pants?" She repeated. 

"I don't know." He said, frowning. 

"Get the hell out of my trailer." She said, walking over to her closet and grabbing a pair of pants, hopping as she put them on. 

"Don't I get a kiss?" He asked. 

"You're not my boyfriend, stop acting like it." She said, quickly grabbing her boots. 

"Then what am I?" 

"Not my boyfriend." She said, zipping up her boots once they were on. "I mean it, I'm late for work. Get out." She snapped, walking into her bathroom. He rolled his eyes, and stood up, grabbing his own pants. 

"I'll see you tonight?" He asked. 

"Nope." Betty responded. He smirked, shaking his head. She quickly swiped eyeliner on her eyes, looking in the mirror. "You better not be here when I come back." She said, leaving the trailer and slamming the door shut behind her. She was at the bar she worked at, five minutes later, tying her hair back as she walked behind the bar where Cheryl Blossom was. 

The bar was called Devil's Pit. Betty had been working there ever since she had turned twenty-one, and Cheryl Blossom was the other bartender there. They didn't really get along, much. But sometimes they would hang out. Along with Kevin Keller and Veronica. Betty couldn't hang out with Cheryl just the two of them. They would probably end up trying to rip each other's heads off. The bar was nice enough. It was filled with men and women-but mostly men-wearing leather jackets with the skull and bones on the back. The Ghoulies trademark. 

Betty had her own trailer on the territory. Veronica and her parents were the only ones who lived in an actual house. A mansion that was in Greendale. Betty used to live in Riverdale. That is until she joined the Ghoulies. She hasn't spoken to her mother or sister in six years. 

"Where the hell were you? My shift ended an hour ago." Cheryl snapped. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"I'm here now." She muttered. 

"Where were you an hour ago?" Cheryl asked. 

"You're lucky I showed up at all." Betty said, smiling. "Bye-bye." She said, waving at her dismissively. Cheryl rolled her eyes before walking away. Suddenly, Veronica sat down at the bar, in front of where Betty was. 

"I thought you died after you disappeared last night." Veronica said. Betty let out a sigh. 

"I know I said this last time, but I mean it this time. I am not sleeping with Malachi again." Betty said. Veronica laughed at that. 

"Can't wait to hear that sentence again." 

"That asshole turned my alarm off." Betty said, rolling her eyes. She began to take orders and make drinks. 

"You're coming with us to the restaurant tomorrow night, right?" Veronica asked. Betty frowned. 

"Who's us? What restaurant?" She asked. Veronica glared at Betty. 

"Oh, you know. Only the most important night of my life." She said. It took a moment for Betty to realize. Her eyes widened. 

"Shit, I'm so sorry. I forgot. Of course, I'm coming." Betty said. 

"Well, you're borrowing one of my dresses." 

"What? No way." 

"Betty, all of your dresses scream slutty train wreck and you have to dress nice. Seriously, my dad will kill you. And I'm the one getting married, remember?" Veronica said. Betty frowned. 

"Okay, fuck you." 

"Love you." Veronica said with a smile. 

"Let me work. I'll see you tonight." Betty said. Veronica nodded and hopped off the stool. Betty continued to bartend all day, and as the hours went by, things began to wind down. Betty was cleaning up the bar with a wet rag when Malachi walked in. He sat down at the bar, and Betty scoffed in annoyance. 

"Hey there, monster." He said chirpily. 

"What did I tell you about coming to the bar?"

"I can go wherever I want." 

"Yeah. When Cheryl's working." 

"I don't want to see Cheryl." He said, leaning forward on his forearms. "I want to see you." 

"I don't want to see you, so." Betty said, shrugging. 

"That's not what you said last night." 

"That was the last time." 

"I doubt that very much." 

"Trust me Mal, you are definitely not worth it." Betty said, before dropping the rag on the bar and walking away. 

"Betty!" Malachi called. She looked over her shoulder at him. "I didn't come to flirt with you." He said. She walked back over. 

"What are you talking about?" She asked. Malachi's arrogant tone had gone serious, and so did his expression. 

"I'll work the rest of your shift. Hiram needs you to do something for him." Malachi explained. 

"What is it?" Betty asked, lowering her voice. 

"We got someone... using some of the kids. Drugs. Hiram doesn't tolerate that shit. You know that. He wants you to take care of it." Malachi said. Betty let out a sigh. 

"Where?" 

"The basement. In the abandoned warehouse." He said softly. He stood up and walked around so he was behind the bar. "Have fun." Betty smiled. 

"I always do." She said. 

"Yeah, okay psycho." He muttered, earning a shove from Betty as she walked past him. She heard him laughing behind her, and she rolled her eyes. 

This is how, fifteen minutes later, she found herself leaning against the big old abandoned warehouse, shoving a piece of gum in her mouth, and putting the wrapper in her back pocket. The warehouse was in the woods, and not too far away from the bar. She had decided to walk since it would take longer. She wanted to keep Hiram waiting. Maybe even make him mad. It didn't seem to matter anyway because once she got there she was told to wait outside until Hiram was ready for her. 

She looked into the trees, listening to the sounds of the birds chirping and the trees rustling in the wind. It was springtime. The sun was out, and it was warm. Betty liked to feel the sun on her skin. She remembered when she transferred to Greenville High School from Riverdale High School. She started going to school with Veronica after joining the Ghoulies. 

The school had been a little rough for Veronica. Betty completely believed that Veronica would have a better experience at Riverdale High School. Despite her father being a notorious gang leader, she wasn't gang material. She was definitely tough, but not in the same way Betty was. 

"Betty." A voice said from next to her. She turned her head to look at Reggie Mantle. Reggie was a quiet one. He had a bad temper though. He liked to be left alone, but if someone pestered him too much, he would lose it and get angry. He was also the person Hiram kept close. He did favors for Hiram. Betty kind of liked Reggie. Not in an attraction sort of way. She liked the way he worked. But they never talked. He didn't really talk to anybody, except Veronica. 

"Is he ready?" Betty asked. Reggie nodded, and Betty pushed off of the wall she was leaning on. "About time." She muttered. Reggie followed her inside the warehouse, and to the stairwell, down to the basement. Betty was used to this. It was her Hiram came to when someone broke the rules. She didn't talk to Reggie or really know him, but he was always there with her when she had to do these kinds of jobs. 

The basement of the warehouse was dingy. The walls were gray, and there was only one flickering luminescent light in there, keeping the corners of the room dark. Betty saw Hiram standing there in his suit, with his hands in his pockets. Sitting down, arms tied to a chair, was a man. The culprit. Betty didn't know his name. She didn't really care. 

"Did Malachi tell you what Jack here did?" Hiram asked. Betty crossed her arms over her chest. 

"Does it matter?" Betty asked. She looked at the middle-aged man. He had been glaring dangerously at Hiram. 

"He's been using some of the younger Ghoulies. For drugs." Hiram said, looking at the man. 

"Are the kids to be punished?" Betty asked. Reggie raised his eyebrows and looked at Hiram. He kept his hands folded in front of him. 

"Of course not. I will talk to them." Hiram said. Betty let out a sigh. 

"Whatever. What do you want me to do?" 

"I want you to leave him on the I-75." Hiram said. Betty frowned. 

"What? That's hours away." 

"That's the point." Hiram said. He then turned to the man in the chair. "Don't you dare ever come back," Hiram warned. He then looked back at Betty. "Reggie will go with you. If it makes you feel any better, I'm allowing you to do whatever you want to him before taking him to the interstate." Hiram then nodded at Reggie and walked up the stairs. When Betty heard the door shut, she turned to Reggie. 

"Looks like we're going on a road trip buddy ol' pal." She said, smiling sarcastically. She turned back to Jack. "Oh, but first... If I'm going to go all the way to the one highway in the middle of nowhere, I'm going to enjoy myself first." She whispered. Jack stared at her in disgust. She began to take off her holed gloves and handed them to Reggie. He took them and put them in his pocket. "Knuckle brass, dear sir." She said, holding her hand out and never taking her eyes off Jack. Reggie put the knuckle brass in her hand, and she took her time putting it on. 

Five minutes later, Betty punched the man for what seemed to be the tenth time. He turned his head and spat out blood. Betty rubbed her bruised knuckles gently with her hand, still glaring at the man in disgust. 

"Do you like using teenagers for your own benefit?" She asked, getting in his face. "Do you?" 

"Fuck you." He hissed. She stood straight up and kicked him in his groin. He let out a pained groan and struggled in the ropes binding him to the chair. 

"No, you won't fuck me. But I bet you wanted to fuck some of those young girls. Isn't that right, asshole?" She yelled. "Right after they sell your drugs." She punched him in the face again. He began letting out more pain-filled groans, while Betty took the brass knuckles off. She handed them to Reggie and then leaned in close to the man.

"Look at me." She said harshly. He looked at her, seething. "I could have done a lot worse." She said, before taking his finger, and snapping it back until she heard the bone break. He yelled out in pain. Betty turned around, and walked over to Reggie, taking her gloves from him and putting them back on. "I'll wait in the car while you get him in the trunk." She said, walking past him and up the stairs.

In the car, she took one glove off and looked down at the hand she used to punch Jack repeatedly using the brass knuckles. She grimaced and rubbed at the dark bruises. She felt the movement of the car as Reggie put the man in the trunk and shut it tight. A moment later, the door opened on the driver's side, and he got in, shutting the door behind him. He looked at Betty for a moment. 

"Are you okay?" He asked. Betty looked at Reggie. 

"I'm great." She said, looking back down at her knuckles. 

"How's that?" He asked. 

"It hurts. I'll get over it." She said, shrugging. "I don't have all day, let's go." Reggie started the engine and began driving down the path through the woods. 

"That seemed a little personal." He muttered. 

"What? That?" She asked, pointing her thumb over her shoulder. "You've seen me do that a million times, Mantle." 

"Yeah but... You were a little more talkative." He said. 

"You're actually the one being chatty today." She said nonchalantly. Reggie shrugged. "So, are you going to the big dinner tomorrow night?" 

"Yeah. Are you?" 

"Yup. Why are you going?" 

"Extra protection." He said, glancing at her and back at the road. "Why are you going?" 

"Because Hiram loves me so much." Betty said sarcastically. "I'm going for Veronica." 

"The whole thing is bullshit." He mumbled. Betty raised an eyebrow. "Sorry." 

"No, don't be sorry. I like this. Sharing strong opinions." She smiled. "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" He ignored her, and she looked out the window, smirking to herself. After an hour, she began to fall asleep. She jolted awake when there was a huge bump. "Do you mind not driving like a psychopath?" She said to Reggie. 

"Sorry, that was just the puppy I ran over." 

"Ha-ha, very funny." She mumbled. "I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere to eat?" 

"Are you serious?" 

"Yup." 

"We have a job to do." 

"Listen, Hiram should have picked a closer place to dump him if he didn't want me to get hungry. I bet you're hungry too. Is there a diner around here somewhere?" She looked out the windshield. Reggie rolled his eyes. 

"There's one a couple of miles up ahead." He said. Betty smiled. 

"Great. See? You are hungry." 

"Stop or I'm not stopping the car." He said. Betty put her hands up in surrender. When they came across the diner, connected to a gas station, Reggie pulled over and parked in the parking lot. They got out of the car and went inside. 

"So what do you think he looks like?" Betty asked, popping a fry into her mouth. 

"Who?" 

"Veronica's future husband." Betty said. "Ugh, I hate that word." 

"Husband?" 

"Yeah. It reminds me of like, a housewife with her kids and husband that works in an office cubicle. How could you live like that?" 

"Well considering it's not the 1950's anymore..." Reggie began. Betty waved a dismissive hand at him. 

"I know he's our age. What if she's not attracted to him? Now that's a little unfair. Marrying someone you can't get off to?" 

"That's gross." Reggie muttered. 

"But true." Betty said, popping another fry into her mouth. 

"What happened to you being all serious?" Reggie asked. Betty stared at him for a moment, and then dropped the fry she had been holding onto her plate. 

"I'm worried about Veronica." 

"Why?" 

"She's acting normal. She's not freaked out, or... Scared." Betty explained. 

"Isn't that a good thing?" 

"It's weird. She's meeting the guy she's supposed to spend the rest of her life with tomorrow night. I would be cutting heads off." Betty said. Reggie narrowed his eyes at her. 

"I don't think cutting heads off is her thing." 

"I'm being serious." Betty said. Reggie let out a sigh. "You like, live in her house. Which is weird, by the way. Have you heard her crying, or yelling, or having a nervous breakdown?" 

"Jesus, Betty." He muttered. 

"I'm just curious." 

"I don't... Listen to what she does in her room." He said, frowning at the sentence. 

"I'm just saying. This is weird." Betty picked up her burger and took a bite. 

"Let's just get tomorrow over with. Don't pull anything stupid." Reggie said. Betty swallowed. 

"You sound like Hiram." 

"Well, Hiram's right. You can be impulsive sometimes. This is Veronica and Jughead's night." He said. Betty frowned. 

"Who the hell is Jughead?" She asked. Reggie let out a groan and cursed at himself. Betty gasped. "Is that his name?" 

"No." Reggie said quickly. 

"His name is Jughead?" She asked, before beginning to laugh. "Oh my god. That is such a bad name." She continued to laugh. "How did you know his name was Jughead?" 

"I heard Hiram talking on the phone." Reggie said, letting out a sigh. 

"What's his last name?" Betty asked. Reggie sat there silently. "Come on, Reggie! I promise I won't tell anybody." She said. 

"Jones." He admitted. Betty began giggling again. 

"I now pronounce you Mrs. Jughead Jones." Betty said, before holding her stomach. 

"It's not that funny." Reggie murmured. 

"It's hilarious." Betty corrected. Reggie nodded. "Wait, so I have a question." 

"I won't tell you anything else about the... Situation." Reggie said sternly. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"Not that." She said. "How's it feel being Hiram's bitch?" Reggie bit the inside of his cheek, looking away from her. She had a humorous smirk on her face. 

"You're an asshole." He said. 

"I'm genuinely curious. What's it like working directly for the big bad wolf?" She asked. 

"Can we go?" He asked impatiently. Betty sat there for a moment, thinking. She looked down at her plate of fries and half-eaten burger. She then looked back up at Reggie who was staring at her expectantly. 

"Yeah." She said softly. "I'm sorry, Reggie. I know you're not Hiram's bitch." 

"Yeah, okay." He said, standing up. Betty smiled and stood up, following him out of the diner.

In the car, they were both silent. Betty looked out her window, watching the trees zoom by. She looked out the windshield at the open road that looked like it could go on forever. She looked at Reggie and bit the inside of her lip. 

"Do you remember before?" She asked. He kept his eyes on the road. "Who you were before you became a Ghoulie?" He nodded quietly. 

"Yeah." 

"Do you ever miss that person?" She asked, looking down at her lap. In the corner of her eye, she could see him shaking his head. 

"No." He admitted. Betty nodded. "Do you?" 

"Not really." She answered.

Once they got to the right highway, Reggie pulled over. Betty waited in the car and watched in the rearview mirror as Reggie opened the trunk and violently pulled Jack out, grabbing him by the arm. He had duct tape over his mouth. Reggie ripped it off and shoved him over to the side of the road. He shut the trunk, and walked over to his side, getting back in the car. 

"Hey, you can't just leave me here!" The man yelled. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"Let's go so we don't have to hear the whining." Betty said. Reggie started the engine and made U-turn. They made it back to Greendale in two hours. Reggie drove to the bar, so he could drop Betty off. 

"Until the next time." Betty said, before opening her door and getting out. He waved to her before she shut the door, and then he drove off. She walked into the bar, looking around. There wasn't a ton of people in it, but Malachi was at the bar, making a drink. Betty sat down in front of him, and he smiled. 

"Five hours, huh? Did you kill the poor bastard?" He asked, pouring the drink into a glass. 

"I wish I did. There's nothing to pity about him." She said coldly. Malachi shrugged. 

"I just work here." He said. Betty scoffed. 

"Yeah right. I'm getting the paycheck."

"Fine. But I'm keeping the tips." He said. 

"Fair enough." Betty said. She watched him, and he looked up at her. They just looked at each other for a moment. 

"Do you want to have sex with me right now?" Malachi asked. Betty slowly shook her head. 

"No. I really don't. I was just thinking about how stupid you look like a bartender." She said, hopping off the stool, and walking away. 

"I know you love me!" He called. She turned around and flipped him off before walking out through the exit in the back. 

When Betty got to Veronica's house, she changed into more comfortable clothes and jumped on Veronica's bed. Veronica laughed and threw a pillow at Betty. She had already been in sweats when Betty got there. 

"I just spent the last six hours beating the hell out of a man and then driving to a highway with your dad's bodyguard." Betty said. 

"you know I don't like to hear about your rendezvous of torturing Ghoulies." Veronica reminded her blonde friend. 

"Ex Ghoulie. We do not associate ourselves with men and women who manipulate children." Betty said, laying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. "Reggie has a crush on you." 

"Betty." Veronica warned. 

"Sorry, I forgot this is Pride and Prejudice where you aren't allowed to show any interest in any man except the guy you're supposed to marry." Betty said, rolling her eyes. 

"That wasn't how Pride and Prejudice went." 

"Same difference." Betty said dismissively. Veronica smiled and sat up. 

"I'm excited." 

"Are you now?" 

"Yes. I should be excited." Veronica said proudly. Betty sat up and looked at the raven-haired girl. She let out a sigh and shook her head. 

"V, you don't have to pretend. It's okay to be upset." Betty said softly. 

"Is it?" Veronica asked. Betty nodded. 

"Of course. I'm going, to be honest. I'm surprised you aren't...Being different." 

"That's because you don't know what it's like, Betty." Veronica said. Betty tilted her head in confusion. "You weren't raised with parents like mine. You have your whole life. What about my life? I could run. I could leave right now and never come back. I wouldn't have to marry a complete stranger. But I can't. Because every minute I spend out there, I'll be thinking about how disappointed my parents are in me. So no. I'm not allowed to be upset." Betty looked away and nodded quietly. 

"I'm just saying." She said softly. "You can talk to me." 

"I appreciate that. But there's nothing to talk about. Let's just get tomorrow over with. These next few months are going to be... Insane." Veronica admitted. 

"And I will be there with you every step of the way." Betty reminded her. 

"Promise?" 

"Promise." Betty said, smiling. Veronica held her arms out, and Betty rolled her eyes before wrapping her arms around the girl and hugging her. She stared at the wall behind Veronica, a pit forming in her stomach. 


	2. The Serpents

The Serpents were different than the Ghoulies. They were a family. The Ghoulies were more like a big group of people, all supporting each other in a way. It was a gang. The Serpents weren't only a gang. They had other qualities. Jughead Jones didn't hate his father. He just didn't like Fp Jones. This grew as he grew older. Jughead hated Fp's decisions. He made decisions even when his family went against them. Fp would choose the Serpents over his wife and kids. 

Jughead wanted the Serpents as his own. He believed he would be a better leader than Fp could ever be. His friends often agreed, but he would have to wait. He genuinely looked forward to being the king of the Serpents. What he didn't look forward to, was adding another gang to the mix, and getting married. The closer it got to the day he had to meet his future wife, the angrier he got. 

Now, Jughead sat on a stool with a cigarette hanging loosely in his mouth. He was wearing a black tank-top and working on his motorcycle. He turned his head so he was looking at Sweet Pea, sitting in a lawn chair and staring at a spot on the ground. Jughead took the cigarette out of his mouth. 

"Pea." He said. Sweet Pea lazily looked at him. "Give me that wrench." He said, nodding over to the wrench on the ground a couple of feet away. Sweet Pea grabbed it and handed it to Jughead. Jughead put the cigarette back in his mouth and began to tighten the bolts in the wheel. 

"Jughead." Archie called. Jughead looked up to see Archie standing there. "Your dad wants to see you." Jughead dropped the wrench, standing up. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and dropped it, stepping on it. 

"Tell him I'm busy." He said, before walking into the open garage of the repair shop, getting in the shade, and wiping his forehead. Archie followed him. 

"Come on, it's about tomorrow night." 

"In that case, tell him to go fuck himself." Jughead said. Archie rolled his eyes. 

"This is important." 

"Are you his bitch all of a sudden?" Jughead asked, looking at Archie. 

"I'm just the messenger. I was just in that area." Archie said. Jughead nodded and then frowned. 

"What time is it?" He asked. Archie pulled out his phone. 

"Almost three." 

"I have to pick up Jellybean from school. Raincheck." Jughead patted Archie on the shoulder and then walked past him. 

"I can do that, you know!" Archie yelled. Jughead waved at him dismissively. Archie looked at Sweet Pea, who shrugged. Archie shook his head and walked away. 

Jughead pulled up to the school, looking at the building in disgust, and putting the car in park. He kept one hand on the wheel, watching as teenagers exited the building. He remembered going to school at the exact same place. He hated it. When he saw Jellybean walk out, both her hands on her backpack straps, he smiled at her. She walked over, opening the door and getting in. 

"Oh look, you aren't late for once." Jellybean said. 

"Yeah, well. You saved me from a conversation I sure as hell don't want to have." Jughead said, putting the car in drive. Jellybean looked at the empty whiskey bottles in the back. 

"Are you drunk?" She asked. 

"Not yet." He said as he pulled out of the school parking lot. The girl rolled her eyes. "How was school?"

"It was good, actually." She said.

"What was so good about it?" Jughead asked. Jellybean laughed at that. 

"I actually enjoy school, unlike you."

"I enjoy school." Jughead said defensively. Jellybean frowned. "College, not high school." He added. She nodded. 

"Anyway." She said slowly. "I'm not going to the... Thing tomorrow night." Jughead looked at her and frowned. 

"Why not?" 

"I got invited to a party. It's a grown-up thing, anyway. Not for me." She shrugged. 

"You're my support system." 

"I thought Archie was your support system." Jellybean said, with a raised eyebrow. 

"Archie's being a dick right now." Jughead said, earning a glare from Jellybean. 

"He only wants the best for you." She reminded her brooding brother. 

"What kind of party is it, anyway?" He asked. 

"A high school party." She said, furrowing her eyebrows. "The only kind of party I would go to." 

"With alcohol?" He asked, glancing at her. She scoffed. 

"Jughead, I'm pretty sure you're an alcoholic, why do you care if I drink or not?" 

"I'm not an alcoholic, first of all." He pointed out. "And second, you're seventeen. You don't need to be drinking." She let out a sigh. 

"I won't drink." She said. He looked at her doubtfully. "I promise." She paused. "You know dad is supposed to be the one telling me not to drink."

"Dad." Jughead said. "Is a giant dick." She began laughing at that, holding her stomach. He smiled, keeping his eyes on the road. 

"One more thing." 

"Hm." 

"Can I borrow your car?" She asked. Jughead looked at her, his eyebrows raised. 

"My car? Like the car, I'm driving right now?" He asked. She nodded. "Jellybean..." 

"I won't scratch it, or anything. I promise. Please, Jug. You won't even be using it tomorrow night anyway." She pleaded. Jughead let out a sigh. 

"No scratches." He said firmly. She smiled and nodded. "I mean it." 

"I got it." She said, putting her hands up. Jughead pulled up to the garage, and Jellybean looked at Jughead. 

"I just have to grab something. I'll take you home after." He said. "Want to wait in the shop?" She nodded, and they both got out of the car. Sweet Pea was walking outside the shop, wiping his hands with a cloth. Jellybean smiled at him as she walked past him. 

"Hi, Pea." She said. He turned and watched her walk past him, through the front door of the shop. 

"Hi." He muttered. Jughead put his hands in his pockets, frowning. 

"Hey." He said. Sweet Pea whipped around and looked at Jughead. "Eyes up here." Sweet Pea raised his eyebrows. 

"What, I wasn't-" 

"Mhm." Jughead said, walking into the garage. Sweet Pea let out a sigh and followed Jughead. 

"You should talk to your dad." 

"You should stop preying on teenage girls." Jughead said with a smile. Sweet Pea glared at him. 

"I wasn't." He said, gritting his teeth. "And I'm being serious, Jug." 

"I will later. I have stuff to do." He said, running a hand through his hair. "Speaking of preying on teenage girls..." Sweet Pea rolled his eyes. 

"Jughead, I swear I wasn't-" 

"I want you to go to a party with her tomorrow night." Jughead said. 

"What?" 

"Just make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." 

"You want me to go to a party with a bunch of kids?" Sweet Pea asked. 

"That's exactly what I want you to do." 

"But that's... Really creepy." Sweet Pea said hesitantly. 

"You look like a kid, so you'll be fine." Jughead said, patting Sweet Pea on the shoulder. "Oh yeah, and also another thing." 

"What?" 

"Don't touch my sister. In any way. Or I'll kill you. Got it?" He said, smiling. Sweet Pea only glared at him. "Alright, good talk." He said, before walking past him into the shop. 

A few minutes later, Jughead got the stuff he needed, and both he and Jellybean got back in the car. Jughead dropped her off at the trailer, and then drove over to the Whyte Wyrm. He then sat in the car, contemplating going inside. He stared at the many motorcycles in the parking lot and the people that came out of the bar every few minutes. Most of them wearing black leather jackets with the green snake embroidered on the back. 

He let his head fall back against the headrest, and let out a sigh. He knew exactly what his dad was going to say. Don't mess this up. Jughead bit the inside of his cheek and thought about the whole situation. He often wondered what would have happened if he just took his degree after college and went to New York City. A dream he had ever since he was a freshman in high school. 

He shut the engine off, and then got out of the car, walking into the bar. He walked over to the bar, where one of his closest friends had been bartending. He watched as Toni Topaz poured a drink, and then began to make another. When she spotted Jughead, she smiled and walked over. 

"Hey, stranger." She said. "Fp's in his office." 

"Give me a shot before I go in there." Jughead grumbled. She laughed and nodded. 

"Yes sir." She said. Jughead went to high school with Toni. He even had a crush on her at one point. They both lost their virginity to each other. They never started dating, or anything like that. Once it was over, they both agreed that they were meant to be friends. Toni didn't like guys as much as girls anyway. Jughead had his own rule. He never had sex with another Serpent. He preferred somebody who he didn't have to see every day. He didn't like relationships to start off with. He thought they were too complicated. 

"Thanks." He said after she poured him a shot. He picked it up and drank it before putting the glass down again. 

"He's not that bad." Toni said, smiling.

"Oh no, he's terrible." Jughead muttered. 

"You should hear Archie. You know, I think he's more scared than you are about this whole thing." Toni said, putting her elbows on the bar. "I'm excited." 

"You're excited?" Jughead asked. 

"Oh yeah. You? Getting married? God, can you imagine? I can't." She said. 

"Fuck off." Jughead muttered. 

"I'm coming over after my shift." She said. "Fangs won't leave the trailer." 

"Why?" Jughead asked, frowning. She shrugged. 

"He's going through something. Won't tell me what. I have a feeling it has to do with a Ghoulie, though." She whispered. Jughead raised his eyebrows. 

"A Ghoulie?" He asked. She nodded. 

"He's been sneaking out. One time I followed his car. Not the whole way, but he went on the other side of Sweetwater River." Toni said. 

"Greendale." Jughead muttered in annoyance. 

"Look, this whole merge thing isn't dead set yet. He can get in trouble for this." Toni said. 

"Is he... Spreading information do you think?" Jughead asked. Toni shrugged. 

"Jug, I know my brother. I think this has more to do with... Personal reasons. A guy." She said. Jughead nodded at that. 

"Then you have nothing to worry about." He said, pushing off the bar, and walking towards the back, where Fp's office was. When he opened the door and walked in, Fp looked up from his desk. Jughead shut the door behind him and took a seat across from his father. "Hey." He said. Fp put down the papers he was looking at and folded his hands on the desk. 

"I asked for you almost two hours ago." Fp said. 

"I was picking up your daughter. When's the last time you had a full conversation with her?" Jughead asked. Fp let out a sigh and looked away. 

"I did not ask you here to argue with you." He said. Jughead didn't say anything. He only sat there silently, waiting for the older man to get to the point. "Tomorrow night isn't just an important night for you. It's also a very important night for the Serpents." Fp said. Jughead nodded.

"I'm aware." He said.

"Good. Because if you screw it up, I'm holding you accountable."

"I wouldn't expect any less." Jughead said coldly.

"You don't understand how important a man Hiram Lodge is. He's not like me, Jughead. He doesn't work his ass off to pay bills for the bar, and that shop you love so much. I know you think this whole merge is stupid, but to me it's important. When this is all over, we don't have to think about feeding our own." 

"There are other ways to do that." Jughead said incredulously. "I know exactly who Hiram Lodge is. Those Ghoulies are nothing but ruthless monsters. They're dangerous. They don't think like us." 

"Don't talk like that." Fp snapped. 

"It's the truth." 

"You're doing this Jughead." Fp said firmly. Jughead was quiet for a minute. 

"I know." He whispered. "Is that all?" 

"Yeah, get out of here." Fp mumbled. Jughead stood up, and left the office, shutting the door behind him. He slowly walked over to the bar, and Toni looked up at him. 

"Uh oh. I've seen that face before." She said. Jughead leaned his forearms on the bar. 

"What face?" 

"You're sixteen again, and Fp just yelled at you." She said. 

"He didn't yell at me. I tried explaining to him that it won't be easy taking one group and mixing it in with a completely different one." Jughead said spitefully. Toni let out a sigh. "Seriously, Toni. Remember when you, me, Archie, Fangs, and Pea went to Greendale that one time? We almost _died_." 

"That was three years ago, Jug. Let it go." Toni said. "Look, I know this is hard for you to hear, but... You aren't any better." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jughead asked. 

"You cut Penny Peabody's tattoo off. You took a chunk of her flesh and cut it off. What does that say about you?" 

"She was manipulating me, and every one of the other Serpents." 

"And yet you tortured her and left her bleeding out on the side of the road." Toni said. "I love you Jug, but don't be a hypocrite." 

"You know what, you're right. I did do that. And now she's a Ghoulie. You know how much trouble that could cause us?" 

"After the merge, she won't be a problem. I have to work. I'll see you later." Toni said, before walking away, down the bar. Jughead scoffed, before reaching behind the bar and grabbing a whiskey bottle. He left the bar and went back to his trailer. 

Later that night, Toni had come over and was sitting on the couch with Jellybean, with the tv on in the background. They were waiting for Jughead to come out of his room. Toni wasn't going to the dinner the night after. So both her and Jellybean wanted to see what he was wearing, to his embarrassment. 

"So, I hear you're going to a party." Toni said, looking at Jellybean. She rolled her eyes. 

"I don't see why it's such a big deal. I go to parties all the time." Jellybean said. "I'm almost done with high school, I think I'm allowed to have fun." 

"You are." Toni said. "You know how Jughead gets." Jellybean nodded. 

"It's just weird." Jellybean said with a frown. "Sweet Pea asked me if he could come." Toni raised her eyebrows and looked at Jughead's bedroom door. 

"Did he?" She asked, shaking her head. 

"Yeah. I mean, I said I was fine with it." She said, shrugging nonchalantly. Toni looked at Jellybean and began to smile. 

"Do you like Sweet Pea?" She asked. Jellybean stared at Toni in disbelief. 

"Of course not." She said quickly. "He's... Jughead's age. That's super creepy." She said, shaking her head at the thought. 

"He's actually a year younger than Jughead. He skipped a grade in school." Toni said, shrugging. Jughead was twenty-two, and that made Sweet Pea twenty-one. 

"That's still super creepy." Jellybean said. "I do not like Sweet Pea. At all." 

"I think he likes you." Toni said. 

"Ew!" 

"Oh relax, it's not that big of a deal." Toni said dismissively. "Just don't let Jughead find out or he'll have Sweet Pea by his neck." 

"Noted." Jellybean said, shaking her head in disgust. Toni smiled, watching Jellybean. 

"You're a bad liar." 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Jellybean said. Toni opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly Jughead's bedroom door opened. Toni smiled and stood up. 

"It looks really nice." Jellybean said. Jughead looked at both of them. He was wearing a suit with a black tie. 

"You look hot." Toni said, nodding her approval. 

"I don't think I've seen you in a suit since you graduated from high school." Jellybean said. 

"I feel hot." He said flatly. 

"Beauty is pain, my friend." Toni said. There was a knock on the door, and Toni walked over, opening it. 

"Oh." Archie said when he saw Toni. "Hey." 

"Come on in, carrot-top." Toni said, stepping aside. Archie walked up the stairs, and into the trailer. He looked at Jughead, and furrowed his eyebrows, looking at his outfit. 

"It looks good." Archie said. 

"And it's coming off." Jughead said, turning around and walking back into his room, shutting the door behind him. 

"Sorry, Arch. He's still being a dick." Toni commented. 

"He was nice when he picked me up from school." Jellybean said, pulling her legs up onto the couch. 

"Well he has to be nice to you." Toni said, sitting next to her on the couch. "You're his baby sister. We're just the friends he thinks he can step all over. Right, Arch?" Toni looked up at Archie, who was staring into space. "Archie." 

"Sorry, what?" He asked, looking at Toni. Toni rolled her eyes. "How are you, JB?" He asked. She nodded. 

"Good." She said. Archie sat down next to Toni. 

"What's wrong with you?" Toni asked, nudging his side with her elbow. 

"I have a real bad feeling." Archie mumbled, looking at Jughead's closed bedroom door. 

"Can we all stop acting like it's the end of the world? Seriously, come on. He's not even getting married yet. He's meeting a girl, and we have no idea what's going on. I swear, everyone's talking like he's going to die." Toni said. 

"Hiram lodge is going to be the one to kill him." Archie muttered. 

"See, that is the exact attitude we don't need." Toni said, giving him a shove. "Positivity is key." 

"Since when are you all about positivity?" Jellybean asked. 

"Sine all of my friends started moping around." Toni said, shrugging. "I think we should take a trip after tomorrow night is over with. And we should bring she who shall not be named. Because we don't know her name." 

"What, the Ghoulie Princess?" Archie asked. 

"That's such a weird term." Toni muttered. "But yes." 

"That's a stupid idea." 

"Maybe she's actually really nice." Jellybean said. Toni smiled proudly at her. 

"Thank you, JB. Take notes, Archie." Toni said, glaring at Archie. He only rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You're going to fill us all in after tomorrow night, right? I have a feeling Jughead won't be in the sharing mood." 

"Jellybean will tell you." Archie said. 

"Oh, I'm not going." Jellybean said. 

"Great. It's just going to be me, Jughead, and Fp. That's so fun." Archie grumbled. 

"Relax." Toni said, putting her hand up. It went quiet for a minute. "I can't keep the secret to myself anymore. I did some digging." 

"You did what?" Archie asked, alarmed. 

"I couldn't help myself! I know who she is. I know what she looks like. I know a few other things too." Toni admitted. Archie glared at her. 

"Toni..." 

"I know! I'm not supposed to, but I was curious." Toni eyed Jughead's door. "Jughead can't know." 

"Obviously." Jellybean said. 

"Jughead, why are you taking so long?" Archie yelled. 

"I'm going to take a shower, fuck off." Jughead yelled back. 

"Perfect." Toni said. She pulled out her phone. She went into her photos and held her phone out so Jellybean and Archie could see. Archie squinted his eyes at the raven-haired girl, standing behind a car door as if she was about to get into the car, staring wide-eyed at the camera with her brown eyes. 

"Wow." Archie said. 

"I know right?" Toni agreed, smiling. 

"She's pretty." Jellybean said. 

"How did you get this picture?" Archie asked. 

"Hiram Lodge isn't just a gang-leader. He's a successful business owner of many businesses. This is a paparazzi photo." Toni said. Archie frowned. 

"That's..." 

"Weird, I know. Okay, but I learned some other stuff too." Toni said. 

"Like?" Jellybean asked. 

"Bad stuff. Things that won't be good for us." 

"What do you mean?" Archie asked. 

"There are rumors going around. There's a girl, and she's a Ghoulie. Guess who her father is." Toni looked between Jellybean and Archie. Archie shrugged. "Hal Cooper. The Black Hood." Archie raised his eyebrows in surprise. 

"No way." He said under his breath. Toni nodded. 

"Yeah, she went to high school in Riverdale until she turned sixteen. After her father killed all those kids and she... Killed him in self-defense, she moved to Greendale. Veronica Lodge was her best friend. Still is. You think she's going to be at the dinner tomorrow night?" 

"Wait, where are you getting this information?" Archie asked. 

"You could literally ask anybody." Toni said. "Stuff travels." 

"So how is this a bad thing?" Jellybean asked. "She didn't do anything wrong, her own dad tried to kill her." 

"That's the thing. She's a nasty Ghoulie. She doesn't listen to anything Hiram says. People say she's killed people who've tried to mess with her. She causes problems. How do you think she's going to react when her gang is supposed to merge with the nemesis gang?" Toni asked. 

"She's murdered, people?" Archie asked. 

"They're just rumors. I have no idea if they're true." Toni said, shrugging. 

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear." Jellybean said. Both Archie and Toni looked at her. She was looking at them as if she was disappointed. "You don't even know her. You don't know any of the Ghoulies, yet all you do is shit on them." 

"You don't say anything when Jughead does the same thing." Archie says. 

"I should. It's wrong." Jellybean said. 

"JB, the Ghoulies have always been crazy. You've seen the stuff they do. They hurt people. They don't have rules like we do." Toni said softly. 

"You're saying we don't hurt people?" Jellybean asked. Both Toni and Archie fell silent. "Because we do hurt people. That's never going to change. This is a gang, and there's never going to be any peace or order. It doesn't exist in our world." Toni and Archie looked at each other, exchanging looks. Jellybean suddenly stood up. 

"Where are you going?" Archie asked. Jellybean ignored him and left the trailer, slamming the door behind her. Archie looked at Toni. 

"What the hell was that?" He asked. Toni let out a sigh and shrugged. 

"Teenagers." She said. "They're scary." Archie nodded in agreement. Jughead came out of his bedroom wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans. He was drying his hair with a towel and threw the towel on a chair before looking at them. 

"Where's Jellybean?" He asked. Toni looked at Archie before back at Jughead. 

"She took a walk." Toni said, and Archie nodded in agreement. 

"Okay..." Jughead said, before falling into a chair. 

"Well, I don't know about you guys but..." Toni began, looking at her phone. "Sweet Pea and Fangs are by the fire pit with several bottles of vodka," Toni said, standing up. "Boys?" 

"I'll come." Archie said standing up. 

"Jughead?" Toni asked. Jughead was staring at a spot in the wall, looking deep in thought. 

"I'll meet you guys there in ten." He said. 

"Alright, let's go carrot-top." Toni said, patting Archie on the shoulder before walking towards the door and opening it. 

"Stop calling me that." Archie muttered, following her out the door. When Jughead heard the door shut, he stood up and walked into the kitchen. He opened a cabinet and put in the combination to the safe in took out a gun. He made sure it was loaded, and that the safety was on before putting it in the back part of his pants, and moving his shirt over it. He shut the safe and cabinet before leaving the trailer. 

He approached the fire pit, watching as Sweet Pea and Fangs stood close to each other, while Fangs showed Pea something on his phone. Toni was telling Archie something, sitting in a lawn chair and laughing, barely able to speak. She looked up and saw Jughead walking over. 

"Oh hey!" She said. "Take a seat." She said, patting the chair next to her. Jughead sat down, and she handed him the vodka bottle. He took the bottle and took a drink from it. Fangs opened his mouth to say something, but Sweet Pea's phone started ringing. 

"Who's calling you?" Fangs asked incredulously. Sweet Pea glared at him, taking his phone out of his pocket. He looked at his screen and answered it. 

"Hey can we-" He began, but stopped talking. Toni watched him, starting to giggle. 

"How much have you drank in the ten minutes I haven't been here?" Jughead asked. She shrugged. 

"Enough." She said. 

"Are you okay?" Sweet Pea said, into the phone. Jughead looked at him and furrowed his brows. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be right over. Okay, bye." He hung up and looked at them. "I have to go." 

"Who the hell was that?" Fangs asked. Jughead was beginning to glare at Sweet Pea.

"Uh Joaquin. It was Joaquin." Sweet Pea said. 

"You talk to Joaquin like that?" Toni asked. 

"I have to go. Okay? I'll see you guys later." He said, before walking away. 

"Was that Jellybean?" Jughead asked Fangs when he was gone. Fangs put his hands up. 

"It was labeled FJ." He said. Jughead shook his head and looked away. Toni looked at Archie, and he shrugged. 

"It was Joaquin, Jughead." Toni said. 

"I should have asked Fangs to go to the party with her." Jughead said, bringing the bottle to his lips. 

"Or you could let her go to a party by herself?" Toni suggested. 

"I don't trust her not to do something stupid." Jughead said. 

"Like what?" Archie said. 

"Like let some stupid jock take advantage of her." Jughead said. Fangs burst into laughter after that. 

"You should have asked Archie. He was a stupid jock." Toni said. 

"Fuck you." Archie said. She winked at him. 

"Anyway, I think you have better things to worry about than Jellybean's sex life." Toni said. Jughead shook his head, pulling a cigarette pack out, and taking out a cigarette. He put it between his lips and got his lighter out. "Stop smoking, black lung," Toni said, taking the cigarette out of his mouth. He looked at her with his eyebrows raised. 

"Black lung?" 

"That's your pirate name. You know Black Beard? You're Black Lung." She said. Jughead smiled and gave her a light shove. 

"I have strict orders from Fp for tomorrow." Archie said. Jughead rolled his eyes. 

"I don't need a babysitter." Jughead said. 

"Yes, you do." Fangs said, earning a glare. 

"Anyway, he told me who will be there." Archie said. 

"Who?" Jughead asked. 

"Well, the obvious. Hiram Lodge, Hermione Lodge, Veronica Lodge. As well as Reggie Mantle and-"

"Reggie Mantle?" 

"Hiram's bodyguard." Archie explained. 

"He needs a bodyguard now?" Jughead asked, incredulously. 

"Don't make a big deal out of it." Archie warned. Jughead nodded. 

"Continue." 

"And Betty Cooper." Archie finished, looking at Toni. Toni stared at the fire in front of her. 

"Who the hell is Betty Cooper?" Jughead asked. 

"She's uh... A very close family friend." 

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Jughead asked, frowning, and looking down at his hands. Toni looked pointedly at Archie. "Is she related to Hal Cooper? That fucking serial killer Ghoulie?" Archie let out a sigh. 

"Yeah. She's his daughter." 

"Why the fuck does she need to be there?" Jughead asked. 

"Jug, she's Veronica's best friends. Do not ruin this. She's not the type you want to make angry." Archie said. Jughead shook his head. 

"Ridiculous." He muttered. 

"Jughead, I'm serious. She's dangerous." 

"Which is we shouldn't be associating ourselves with people like them." Jughead said. Toni looked at Fangs who nonchalantly took a big gulp from his bottle. 

"It's not up to you, Jughead." Toni said. He scoffed, and stood up, taking the cigarette back from her. 

"It's bullshit." He said. He walked away, lighting his cigarette in his mouth as he did. Toni looked at Archie, who took the vodka bottle from her and started drinking from it. She rolled her eyes, and watched Jughead, walking away.


	3. A Night of Surprises

Betty let out a sigh as she stared down at the bottle in her hands, standing in the aisle at the only pharmacy around for miles. The only problem she had coming, was that it was in Riverdale. It wasn't like she wasn't allowed to go into Riverdale. She was. It was running into a Serpent, that was a problem. But she wasn't all too worried about it. She had a life outside of gangs. She pushed a long strand of hair behind her ear, as she continued to stare down at the bottle of pills, her eyes not focusing on the words. 

"What's so interesting about it?" A voice from a few feet away asked. Betty looked up to see a man standing there, on one end of the aisle, looking at her. He had short trimmed black hair that fell down on his forehead and tan skin. He looked young, but not that young. He was wearing ripped black jeans and a white t-shirt with a black and grey flannel over it. 

"About what?" Betty asked, scrunching her face into a frown. He smiled, showing a bunch of straight white teeth. He then nodded at the bottle of Advil she was holding in her hands. She looked down as if she forgot she was holding it. "Oh." She said softly. "Just... Thinking." He nodded and looked away from her. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked to what he was looking at. He was standing by the condoms. She slowly began to smile. He was bouncing his knee back and forth. "What, you've never bought condoms before?" She asked, drawing his attention back to her. 

"I have." He said flatly. "It's the girl I'm buying them for." 

"What, is she in high school?" Betty asked, her voice full of humor. He laughed, a little too obnoxiously at that. She stared at him, with her eyebrows furrowed. "Well, good luck with that." She said, walking past him. She got in line at the counter, behind a woman, and began to wait patiently. 

"I'm Sweet Pea." She heard from behind her. She turned and looked at the man, who was now holding a pack of condoms and standing behind her. 

"Sweet Pea?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"It's a nickname. I don't really tell people my real name." He explained. "What's your name?" He then asked. Betty stood there, thinking for a minute. 

"Jesse." She answered. Sweet Pea nodded. 

"I've never seen you around here, before. Are you new to town?" 

"Nope, just passing through." 

"Where are you going?" 

"You sure ask a lot of questions." Betty said, taking a step forward in the line as it moved. 

"Sorry." He muttered. Betty only smiled and looked down at her feet. After she paid for the Advil and turned towards Sweet Pea. 

"I hope she's worth it, lover boy." She said, with a raised eyebrow, before walking past him. 

By the time Betty got back to the bar parking lot, she took three of the Advil, and then shoved the bottle into her glove compartment, before shutting the engine off and getting out of her car. The bar was still closed, and wouldn't open that day. Betty and Cheryl decided to close it for the whole day.

Betty walked into the bar and saw her four friends all sitting together. Cheryl was sitting on a stool behind the bar, and on the other side Veronica, Kevin, and Reggie were sitting. Betty walked over and put her keys down on the bar. It was empty besides the five of them, and the back area was dark. Chairs were set on top of tables, and there was a single light by the bar that was illuminating the area for them. 

"Don't you have a middle-aged man to be with?" Betty asked Reggie. 

"He's in a meeting." Reggie said flatly. Betty rolled her eyes and sat down on a stool next to Kevin. 

"How was Riverdale?" Kevin asked. 

"I met a guy." Betty said flatly. "It was an interesting experience. He was buying condoms." Cheryl raised her eyebrows, before shaking her head. 

"Anyway." She said. "As I was saying. This is misogyny." 

"What's misogyny?" Betty asked. 

"Misogyny is the degrading of-" 

"I know what misogyny is you, idiot, what are you guys talking about?" Betty said, cutting Cheryl off. Cheryl began to glare at Betty murderously. 

"She's talking about... My situation. Speaking of, we should come up with a word for it." Veronica said. 

"Is there a word for something like that?" Kevin asked. 

"Yeah." Betty said. "Bullshit. Hey, Cher, can you pour me a gin and tonic?" Betty asked, looking at Cheryl. 

"Get it yourself." Cheryl said coldly. "Hey, don't you have a tree to be fucking?" Betty frowned and looked at Veronica, before looking back at Cheryl. 

"No. Haven't had sex with any trees lately." She said. Cheryl let out an impatient sigh. 

"Malachi." She muttered in annoyance. 

"Oh! We're not having sex." Betty said simply. 

"I don't know why you bother saying that, it's not true." Kevin said. 

"Okay, the other night was the last time." Betty said firmly. 

"Hasn't Malachi broken like ten of our rules?" Reggie asked. "He's such a dick, I don't know why you hang out with him." 

"I don't hang out with him!" Betty snapped. Reggie put his hands up in surrender. 

"I think we have better things to talk about than Betty's sex life." Kevin said. 

"Yeah, like those slimy snakes we're about to associate ourselves with." Cheryl said spitefully. 

"They aren't that bad." Kevin said defensively. Betty raised an eyebrow at him, but he quickly looked away from the rest of them. 

"Speaking of reptiles..." Cheryl said. "Are you guys coming to that party I've been talking about? It's tonight." 

"What party?" Betty asked. 

"It's in Riverdale." 

"Hell no!" Betty said quickly. "What are you going to Riverdale for? I can guarantee you Serpents will be there." 

"So what? They don't have to know who we are." Cheryl said. 

"You hate Serpents." Veronica said, her voice full of deadpan. 

"I do." Cheryl said slowly. "But I need newness. It will be fun! Plus, I refuse to associate myself with those people. Maybe I'll meet a nice, non-gang related girl."

"Reggie, V, and I have that dinner tonight. With Serpents. That's enough for one night." Betty said. 

"Come on, Betts. Cheryl's right. As long as we don't talk to any Serpents, it will be fun." Veronica said. Betty rolled her eyes. "Reggie? You wanna come?" She asked, smiling at him. 

"Can't." He said. 

"Why not?" 

"You know why. I'll probably be at the club with your dad." He said. Betty scrunched up her nose. 

"What do you guys even do there?" She asked. Reggie only glanced at Betty, and then looked away. This made her furrow her brows. Veronica put her head on his shoulder and looked up at him. 

"Please?" She asked. Betty looked at Cheryl, who raised her eyebrows at Betty and then rolled her eyes. A small smile formed on the corner of Betty's mouth. 

"I'll try." He muttered. Veronica smiled in triumph. 

"Well, I don't know about Reggie or Betty, but I'm coming with you, Cheryl." Kevin said. 

"Thank you, Kevin." Cheryl said. Veronica then looked at Betty. 

"I'm not in the partying mood." Betty said. "Sorry guys. Not tonight." 

"She's probably just going to shack up with Malachi." Cheryl said, smirking. Betty glared at her. 

"You know what, Cheryl?" Betty asked. Cheryl tilted her head. "I think I'm allowed to fuck whoever I want without your permission. But thank you for your kindness and concern." Betty snapped. She then stood up and grabbed her keys before walking towards the door. 

"Betty, come on I was just messing around!" Cheryl called. 

"She's going to stab you in your sleep." Kevin said. 

"Shut up, Kev." Reggie warned. 

Betty left the bar, and drove back to the trailer park, parking the car right in front of her trailer. After shutting her engine off, and unlocking her door, she walked in, shutting the door behind herself. She tossed her keys on the table in the kitchen and walked down the hall into her bedroom. Betty let out a sigh as she rubbed her eyes with her fingertips. She didn't get much sleep the night before, and she doubted she would tonight, either. Her head snapped up when she heard a sound coming from the other room. 

Betty slowly stood up from where she was sitting on the edge of her bed. She furrowed her eyebrows, staring at her doorway as if she expected somebody to come walking through. As quietly as she could, she reached down, unzipping her boot the slightest bit, and taking a knife out. She then stood up straight, and bent her elbow, holding the knife out in front of her. She took small steps, and when she saw a black shirt appear out of nowhere, she grabbed whoever was standing there with all her might, not caring who it was. 

After slamming him against the wall, and grabbing his wrist, twisting his arm behind his back, she held the knife up to the side of his neck, pressing the cool blade against his skin. He let out a groan, but she got a good look at his face. He was smiling with amusement. 

"Chill." He said, through a strangled, half irritated, and half-amused voice. Betty glared at Malachi, before giving him another shove and letting go. 

"What the hell?" She yelled. 

"Who did you think I was, Michael Meyers?" He asked, gripping his wrist and moving it around, wincing. 

"Yes. That's exactly who I thought you were." Betty said, sarcastically. He grinned. 

"That was kind of hot, though." 

"What are you doing in my trailer, asshole?" Betty asked. 

"Well now I don't want to ask you. You're kind of hurting my feelings." He said, in a sarcastic, overly emotional voice. Betty rolled her eyes before walking past him, and into the kitchen.

She remembered starting to hang out with Malachi a few years before. She was nineteen, and he was twenty-two. Veronica was away at boarding school, and Betty was bored. He had a really bad reputation, and people told her he was dangerous. So, she did the exact opposite of what she was told. She approached him. He took a liking to her, and they just started hanging out. They really didn't start hooking up until a few months ago. Betty was drunk and more emotional than she would ever want anyone to see. It kind of just happened. They had only slept together three more times after the first time. He even asked her to officially be with him a couple of times. She hated labels. She always said no. 

"Seriously. I have to leave in an hour to go to Veronica's. She's helping me get ready for this... Dinner thing. Thinks I'm not capable of dressing myself." Betty explained. A smirk formed in the corner of Malachi's mouth, and he leaned against the doorframe that leads out of the kitchen and into a small hall. 

"Oh yeah." He said, a hint of familiarity in his voice. Betty looked at him. His leather jacket was missing from his shoulders, but he was wearing black pants with a chain hanging from the pockets. "That." 

"What?" She asked, annoyed. He just shrugged. 

"Nothing. I just can't imagine you getting all... Fancy." He said. Betty would almost be offended if those words came from anyone else's mouth. 

"It's a good thing you won't see me." Betty said coldly. He was unfazed by her cold shoulder. 

"I was going to go do target practice. You in?" 

"Not right now." Betty said. "Maybe later in the week." 

"Or..." He said. "We could-" He looked up at the ceiling, and moved his head back in forth as if he was contemplating this proposal. "Go take a visit to my dear old friend from Midvale." He said, smiling at her. Betty stared at him with a raised eyebrow, before rolling her eyes. 

"You're stupid." She muttered. This only made him smile more. "I don't get high anymore." She said, walking past him into her bedroom. He only followed her. 

"You used to be fun. You were fun last night." He said, looking around at her room. Betty grabbed the backpack she shoved into her very small closet and began digging around inside of it. 

"I have responsibilities." Betty muttered. 

"What responsibilities?" Malachi asked, almost sounding horrified. Betty dropped her backpack and looked at him. 

"Listen. These next few months... Are going to be crazy. Veronica's getting married. This year." Betty said seriously. All the humor drained from him and he got all serious. 

"Yeah. Veronica. Not you." 

"I'm the maid of honor."

"Betty, you know what I like about you?" Malachi asked, walking to a different spot in the small room. Betty watched him, warily. "You pretend to not care about anyone but yourself. And it's very convincing. But there are these small moments, where you slip. And you think nobody notices. But I know, that deep down inside, you care about what other people think of you. You care about other people more than you do yourself." He said, pointedly. Betty wasn't sure if that was meant to be a cutthroat insult or a really rare compliment. They stared at each other for a few seconds, before Betty broke the silence. 

"That's inane." She muttered. He scoffed, and smiled, letting his head drop. 

"I don't know what that means." He said. Betty couldn't help but smile, starting to laugh. "No seriously, what does that mean?" He asked. 

"God, you are really something." Betty mumbled. 

"I dropped out of my junior year of high school." Malachi said defensively. 

"I wouldn't go around telling people that." Betty said, raising an eyebrow. 

"Are you going to teach me something, or not?" He asked. Betty smirked. 

"It means..." She said, getting closer to him until she was inches away. He looked down at her, with raised eyebrows. "That what you just said, is the most ridiculous, pathetic thing I've ever heard." Her words got harder the most she spoke. "And the next time you barge into my trailer without my permission, I will... And when I say I will, I mean it. I will cut your throat, and then castrate you before feeding your dick to the wolves in the woods." She smiled and kissed his lips softly before patting his shoulder and turning around. Malachi stared at the wall with raised eyebrows. 

"So I'm going to go." He suddenly said. Betty waved enthusiastically. 

"See you later." She said happily. He rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless before leaving. 

"Owe!" Betty yelled in anger. Veronica rolled her eyes behind Betty, and Betty watched her in the mirror. "I can see you- god damn it, Veronica!" 

"Betty, it's the dress!" Veronica said defensively. 

"Get me a bigger size." 

"This is your size." 

"No, it feels like my guts are being squished together, and my ribs are going to crack any second." Betty said. Veronica let out a sigh as she finished zipping up the back. 

"It's on." She said, stepping out from behind Betty. "How do you feel?" 

"Suffocated." 

"That's the point." Veronica said, with a proud smile. Betty let out a sigh and looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pale pink tight dress that stopped mid-thigh and was backless. She felt naked. Veronica had put on a jeweled necklace that went down Betty's chest, and to her embarrassment highlighted her cleavage. 

"Suddenly I'm a feminist." Betty said, in disgust. 

"There's a dress code, Betts." 

"What, are we going to a strip club?" Betty asked in horror. "Where _we_ are the strippers?" Betty looked over at Veronica. She was wearing a similar dress, but black. Veronica's dress was also strapless, where Betty's had straps. 

"Oh, hush." Veronica said. 

"Does your father approve of this?" 

"Betty!" Veronica said in annoyance. Betty looked over at Veronica, and let out a sigh. 

"Fine. I'll stop." Betty muttered. She looked in the mirror at her long, exposed legs. She felt as Veronica put a clip in Betty's carefully curled hair. The clip was to keep it off to the side, on one shoulder. "Are you nervous?" Betty asked, watching as Veronica got a pair of nude heels out of her closet for Betty and a black pair for herself. 

Veronica's room was dark, but also luxurious-looking. The walls were a dark shade of purple, making it look smaller than it actually was. Her sheets were a velvety red color. Silk, of course. Betty bet the sheets cost more than her rent. The bed was a canopy, with dark purple drapes tied to the bedposts. Lots might think Betty envied Veronica. But she just didn't. Maybe because she once knew what it was like. To have a life like hers. Except she didn't. Veronica's life was full of wealth, and luxury. But she was also the daughter of a notorious gang member. Betty's past life had no gangs. No guns. But yes, daddy issues came with Betty's package. 

"A little." Veronica said honestly. Betty nodded. 

"Well, if you start freaking out, pinch my elbow. I'll come up with an escape plan." Betty said. Veronica glared up at Betty through her lashes. "I'm being serious. If we're in there and you feel like you're going to puke, let me know. I'll take care of it." Veronica smiled gratefully at her best friend. 

"I sometimes think you might be better at Reggie's job than he is." 

"Working for Hiram Lodge? I'd give him a heart attack." Betty said, making Veronica giggle. There was a soft knock on the door, and Veronica stood up. Reggie walked in, wearing a black on black suit. Betty furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him. 

"Oh my god." Betty said, and both Veronica and Reggie looked at her in surprise. "I forgot we're in a nineteen fifties mafia movie," Betty said, covering her mouth. Veronica burst into a fit of laughter and Reggie glared at her. 

"Whatever, hustler." He grumbled. Betty gasped. 

"Did he just call me a hustler?" She asked. He rolled his eyes. 

"The car is waiting outside." He said. 

"Alright." Veronica said. "Oh, wait! Nobody go anywhere." Veronica said, walking into the bathroom. Reggie impatiently put his hands in his pockets and shifted on his feet, impatiently. Betty frowned incredulously as Veronica walked out of the bathroom holding three champagne glasses. 

"What?" Betty said flatly. 

"I had these waiting. We are having two minutes of celebration." Veronica said, handing Reggie and Betty each one. 

"Celebrating what?" Reggie asked. 

"Here is to the official end of my single years." Veronica said, holding the glass up with a smile. Betty and Reggie glanced at each other before looking at her. "Come on guys." She said. Betty let out a sigh and clinked her glass with Veronica before downing her champagne. Veronica smiled triumphantly and did the same with Reggie. "Alright. I'm making a vow right now." 

"What's that?" Betty asked. 

"I will not let a Serpent control me. Or my judgment." She said. 

"What does that mean?" Reggie asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"No idea. But it will make sense eventually." Veronica said. Betty laughed lightly at that. "I love you guys." 

"I love you too, V." Betty said, making a weird face and looking sideways at Reggie. He just played with something in his jacket pocket that made a metal clacking sound. Like change. 

"Can we go before your dad kills me?" He asks. Veronica smiled and nodded. She grabbed her purse, and Betty picked up her heels, refusing to put them on until they got to the restaurant. It was hard to bend down all the way, because of the tightness of the dress, and fear, some imaginary person behind her could see up the skirt of the dress. She walked out behind Veronica and Reggie. 

"Remember to smile." Hermione said in the car. Veronica nodded. "You too, Betty." 

"I have to smile, now?" Betty asked. Hermione stared at her with seriousness. "Yeah, yeah. Got it." Betty said, looking back out her window. 

"Remember your posture as well." Hermione said to Veronica. Betty looked over and frowned. She was acting like they were meeting the senator. Not some rivalry gang leader and his son. Betty rolled her eyes and looked out her window, going unnoticed.

The truth was, her heart was beating against her rib cage in her chest. She didn't know why _she_ was nervous. The thought of fainting right there and making an excuse to leave so she could go smoke with Malachi occurred to her. But she couldn't do that. It wouldn't be fair to Veronica to do this alone. With the exception of Reggie standing by the exit like a dog forced to eat outside. Betty looked glumly at Reggie sitting next to Hiram in the seats across from them. 

When they got to the restaurant, Veronica seemed to get more and more relaxed. It amazed Betty. While Hiram, Hermione, and Veronica went up ahead to speak to the hostess, Betty stayed back with Reggie. 

"You look good." She muttered. 

"I thought I-" 

"Take the compliment, and move on." Betty said coldly. Reggie nodded, slightly irritated, but pushing the feeling away. "This is stupid." 

"Betty, relax." He muttered. "Behave." Betty glared at Reggie, but she knew he was right. 

"You got anything?" 

"Any what?" 

"A Xanax or..." She stared at him expectantly. 

"Jesus, Betty no I don't have a Xanax. You're doing drugs now?" 

"No, of course not." Betty muttered, unfazed by his tone. "Just... This is really fucked. I'm going to go to the bathroom." She stopped and looked at Reggie. He stopped too and looked down at her. 

"Fine. Just, hurry up. Don't leave." He said as if he really expected her to just leave. She rolled her eyes. She looked down at his tie and reached a hand out, adjusting it. 

"I'll be back." She said, walking past him.

In the bathroom, she put her hands on either side of the sink, looking at herself in the mirror. She cleared her throat, nodding to her reflection. Of all times, now was the time her deep hatred for Serpents began to come out. She really hadn't thought about it until now. She could count how many times she's gotten into a fight with a Serpent on her fingers. She huffed out, before straightening up, and taking a look at her figure in the dress. She then grabbed her very small purse-she personally couldn't even consider this a purse-and left the bathroom. 

She walked out where the tables are, and her eyes landed on the table where Veronica, Hiram, and Hermione were sitting at. She stopped in her tracks. The sound of light chatter, and plates clinking somewhere, along with wine glasses, began to fade into the background. She stared at the three men sitting with them. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her heart skipped a beat. One older man. The Serpent king himself. A redheaded man, tall and built. He had broad shoulders, and even sitting down she could tell just how tall he was. Her eyes drifted to the man sitting next to him. The third one. 

He looked just like the oldest one. A younger, fitter version. He was staring intensely at Hiram as if he just said something offending. He had jet black hair, that could have been curly but was styled with hair gel. He was probably just as tall as the redhead, but definitely not as built. He was more skinny, but he still looked toned at the same time. He was wearing a suit that almost looked identical to Reggie's, with a few changes. It looked less expensive. 

The redhead leaned over and whispered something in his ear. He turned his head and gave Red a menacing glare. One look from his father and his attention was back on the Lodges completely. Betty suddenly felt like she was going to be sick. She felt like she was naked, standing in a room full of people. It got worse when suddenly, the man she had been staring at the most, his dark green eyes shifted, landing on her own green ones. He saw her staring. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned around, heading for the exit. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Reggie asked, coming out of nowhere, and stepping in front of her. 

"I'm not a Lodge. I don't need to be here." She said. She could feel him staring at her back, practically burning into her exposed skin. Watching her attempt to make an escape. 

"Yes you do. You will walk over there for Veronica's sake." Reggie said. He wasn't asking. His voice was crude and authoritative. Betty let out a sigh, and he held his elbow out, his features softening. Betty only glared at him, before linking her arm through his. He walked her over to the table, and she couldn't take the way all the eyes began to land on her, arm linked with Reggie's. She felt like a toddler. 

"There she is." Hermione said, flashing a pair of straight white teeth. Betty could see him in the corner of her eye. Staring at her. 

"Hello." Betty said. Her voice didn't sound like her own. It sounded soft and sweet. 

"Forsythe-" Hiram began, but quickly corrected himself. "Fp, this is Betty Cooper. She's a family friend." Hiram said as Betty sat down next to Veronica. When she turned her head, Reggie was gone. She looked back in front of her. Fp was staring at her disapprovingly. He was looking at her like a rodent. 

"Yes." He said. "I've heard a lot about you." Betty suddenly wanted to punch the fuck out of his smug, stupid wrinkled face. Veronica squeezed her wrist, under the table, and Betty refrained. The younger one, was looking at her, humored. Betty almost glared at him but stopped herself. She looked at Red. He looked a lot more somber than the other one. He had kind eyes, and he was smiling at Betty politely. The other one began to glare at him as if he was an idiot. 

"This is my son, Jughead. And also a family friend, Archie." Fp introduced. Betty looked at Jughead. _So, you're the fucker everyone's always talking about,_ Betty thought. Jughead hung one arm on the back of Archie's chair and picked up his wine glass, downing it. Veronica raised her eyebrows, and Fp looked at him disapprovingly. 

"Hey, yeah." Jughead said, stopping a waitress and touching her arm gently. "Can we get a whiskey over here? Thanks, sweetheart." He winked at her before he let go of her arm and she walked away. Archie's mouth dropped open, and he stared at Jughead, in shock. Betty looked down into her lap and refrained from laughing, pressing her lips together. Veronica had raised her eyebrows, unsure of how to process what just happened. But Fp looked ready to commit murder. Jughead looked at them all and then his face landed on Archie. 

"What?" 

"Uh... Anyway." Hiram began, clearing his throat. When Jughead thought nobody was looking, he began to smirk. Betty saw it in the corner of her eye. 

"When do you think is a good date?" Fp asked. A date. _So that was what they were talking about before I got here,_ Betty thought. 

"Well there are several things we need to do before." Hermione cut in. The waitress came back with Jughead's whiskey, and almost as soon as he had got it, he downed the whole thing. Hermione was about to continue talking, but she watched in surprise as Jughead set his glass down with a thud, breathing out as if refreshed. 

"Oh please, continue." Jughead said, to the older woman. He smiled, staring at her. It even looked like he was checking her out. Betty looked at Veronica, who looked like she didn't know what the appropriate reaction should be. Veronica looked at Betty and shrugged ever so slightly. 

Hermione continued to say what she had been saying before. Betty wasn't really paying attention. She picked up her wine glass and subtly took a sip. She hated wine. She set the glass back down, and let her hands rest on her lap. Her dress felt too tiny. She looked down at the exposed skin of her thighs. When she looked back up, he was staring at her. Jughead had been looking at her, and he didn't even attempt to hide it. It almost looked like a glare. Like he knew something about her nobody else did. His eyes burned through her, and she quickly looked away. 

He didn't look away. Betty couldn't tell if he was doing in spite of the whole situation, but it bothered her. He stared at her darkly. Like she had done something to royally piss him off. Had she? She couldn't remember. She had snuck over to the Southside of Riverdale on plenty of occasions. But she would remember seeing Jughead. She would remember wronging him. Then it hit her. 

Fp had heard of her. Who's to say Jughead hadn't. She wouldn't be surprised if she had a bad reputation that everybody knew about over on the Southside. Having a serial killer father gangbanger didn't help, either. She had gotten confronted about her father many times. She looked at Jughead and wondered if that was it. Her father. He wasn't looking at her anymore. He was looking at the table, looking bored. 

"I'm going to go to the bathroom." Jughead said, cutting off Hiram mid-sentence. He got up, and walked away, towards the back. Archie laughed nervously. 

"Excuse me." He said politely, before standing up and walking in the same direction.

That was the first time he had said anything the whole dinner. Betty noticed the glances he made towards Veronica, before quickly looking down as if he was embarrassed or scared someone would see him looking at her in awe. Betty smirked, leaning back in her seat, and pressing the wine glass to her painted lips. 

"Is he going to be a problem?" Hiram asked Fp. He looked extremely disappointed, embarrassed, but mostly pissed off. 

"No. He will get his attitude straight. I can promise you that." The older man said, nodding as if to convince himself more than Hiram. 

"Good." Hiram said, looking agitated. 

"I apologize for his behavior." Fp said, sounding genuine. Betty raised an eyebrow. It sounded like he was talking about a kid. Not a grown man.

She looked over to the back and saw Archie and Jughead. They were standing by the exit, talking. Jughead looked completely different than the person who was just sitting at the table, flirting with waitresses and mothers. He looked serious. Responsible. Not at all like the whiskey affected him at all. He was putting on an act. Betty narrowed her eyes. She watched as he shook his head at something Red said. He then pulled out his phone, and it looked like he was getting a call. His face softened as he looked at the screen and he suddenly looked like he might have a heart attack. He told Archie something before answering the call, and walking outside. Archie came back to the table. 

"I apologize." Archie said, mostly to Fp. Fp raised an eyebrow, silently asking where Jughead had gone. "Jellybean," Archie mumbled. "He'll be back." Archie then smiled politely at the Lodges. His smile seemed most directly to Veronica. Veronica looked down at her lap and blushed slightly. Betty rolled her eyes, feeling like she was going to puke. She wanted to know what the hell Jellybean meant. She thought it was code for something. 

Five minutes later, Jughead sat down, looking furious. Fp glared at him saying, _not the time._ Jughead ignored the man and ordered another whiskey. Betty looked between the two sides of the table, realizing how awkward this was. Archie gave him a concerning look, asking him what was wrong, but Jughead ignored the look. Hermione cleared her throat, and Hiram continued talking about something Betty wasn't paying attention to in the slightest. Betty realized he had at one point put Veronica on the spot because she was talking about something about ten minutes later. 

Jughead literally couldn't care less about whatever she was saying, and he did not hesitate to show it. He looked bored, as he downed his fourth glass of whiskey. It was funny at first, but Betty was beginning to get irritated. She even shot Red a few nasty looks, to where he only returned with apologetic, desperately innocent looks. Betty began bouncing her knee up and down under the table, nobody seeming to notice. She noticed Reggie at the bar, staring at her. He noticed her irritation. He was giving her a look that said if she lost it, he would make her regret it. This only angered Betty even more. 

She suddenly looked straight at him and mouthed the words. "Fuck you." He frowned, narrowing his eyes in disbelief. Jughead caught sight of this, and looked over at Reggie, before looking back at Betty. He grinned into his fifth glass of whiskey. Clearly, he was enjoying making this whole thing painful for everyone. But it was mostly the parents talking about how it would be from now on. How this whole thing was going to work out. They did this whilst attempting to ignore Jughead's obnoxious behavior. 

What set her off, was Jughead giving her the looks again. Like he knew her so well. Like he recognized her. Like she was his worse enemy. She wanted to go home, and most of all, she wished she could be drunk at that moment. She had done such a good job of not ruining this whole thing so far, but it was clearly already ruined. She finally looked straight at the man, staring at her with narrowed eyes. 

"Is there a problem?" Betty suddenly asked. Everyone looked at her, and Jughead leaned back in his chair, one arm draped over the back of Archie's chair. He had a smirk on his face like he had just won. 

"Not at all, princess." He said. Veronica looked at Betty with wide eyes. _Don't._ Her expression said. Too late. 

"Really? Because I think there is." Betty said, her voice full of venom. The smirk never left his face. 

"What's that?" He asked. 

"You should be real proud actually. Because I have known a lot of guys in my life and none of them have accomplished being such an arrogant, drunk prick like you have tonight." Betty spat. Hiram shifted in his seat as if he could kill her any second.

"Betty." He said firmly. She ignored him. 

"I see a perfectly beautiful girl sitting right here, who trust me, doesn't want to be here any more than you do, and here you are looking at Tiffany's tits over there and destroying your liver." Betty spat. Hermione pursed her lips and looked down, and Hiram pinched the bridge of his nose. Veronica looked at the exit sign above the door in the far corner like it was looking pretty interesting right about now. Fp and Archie just exchanged looks. Jughead was still smirking, looking at Betty. 

Hiram suddenly signaled to Reggie, and Reggie finished what he was drinking before walking over. Betty's time was limited. He was by her side in a second, touching her arm gently. Betty shot him a glare, and she must have had murder in her eyes because he almost backed up completely. 

"Betty, stop." Veronica pleaded. 

"No, this whole thing is bullshit. I don't even blame Fuckface over here." Betty said, motioning to Jughead, who's smile disappeared. "Clearly all of you only care about yourselves, so..." Betty slowly stood up and backed away from the table. "I mean who's idea was this? Are you stupid or just-" Reggie grabbed her arm, and she shrugged him off of her. "Seriously where is your- why is this dress so fucking tight?" She asked, putting a hand on her stomach. Jughead's smile was back, and he was looking down into his lap as if he wouldn't be able to hold in his laughter. 

"Betty, now." Reggie said. Everyone in the restaurant was looking at her at that point. She put her hand up in defense. 

"I'm going. I'm going." She said, before turning back to the table. "You can get that stupid grin off your face, I just saved your ass," Betty said, pointing at Jughead. "And your hair is stupid." She then said, pointing to Archie. He frowned, and lightly touched his hair. Betty was starting to wonder how much wine she actually managed to drink in the last hour, because she realized then, that she was drunk. "I'm out this bitch." Betty said, flipping them all off with both of her hands, and then strutting past Reggie, who quickly followed her. Reggie practically grabbed her roughly by the arm and dragged her outside. 

"One job." He muttered. "You had one job." 

"Get your fucking hands off me!" She yelled, half in pain. He let go of her but his glare never left. "Did you see how that asshole was acting? Like he's king shit." 

"As far as you are concerned he _is_ king shit. You let Hiram handle it. Do not take matters into your own hands." 

"I have no regrets." She said, splaying a grin over her face. 

"You're drunk." Reggie said in disgust. 

"Liquid honesty." 

"It's liquid courage you-" Reggie cut himself off. "It doesn't matter. I want you to go home." 

"I don't want to. Just because you told me to." Betty said. 

"Betty, do you understand what you just did? Hiram is going to kill you. Literally, kill you." Reggie said. Betty felt herself start to sober up at those words. She frowned. 

"No he's not." Betty said. 

"Yes. He will. I'm going to do my best to fix your mess." 

"He wouldn't do that, I'm Veronica's best friend." 

"If you just fucked up this whole deal, I can promise you he will murder you and make it look like an accident." Reggie said, his words menacing, but genuine. Betty stared at him. 

"There's something you aren't telling me." She said softly. "Reggie. What is Hiram doing?" Betty asked. He ignored her. He only paced around. "Reggie!" 

"Nothing! Nothing, okay? Just... Please go home." He said. "I'm going to fix it." He muttered as if it was to reassure himself more than her. "Yeah. I'll fix it." He mumbled, walking back into the restaurant. Betty stared at the shut door, wondering what the hell just happened in the last ten minutes. She pressed a hand to her forehead, regretting her outburst. Her phone went off from her purse, and she took it out, letting out a sigh. It was Kevin. She answered it. 

"Kev... I just royally fucked up." Betty said. Loud music was playing in the background. 

"Betty, I need you to come to pick me and Cher up." Kevin said. 

"From that party? I thought you weren't going until after-" 

"We decided to go early. Cheryl is blacked out, and I can't find my keys." Kevin confessed. 

"Kev, what the hell?" Betty asked. "Where are you?" 

"Riverdale. The Northside. I'll text you the address." Kevin said, hanging up. Betty kept the phone to her ear, staring at the concrete of the sidewalk. The Northside of Riverdale. A spot she knew all too well. 


	4. Northside

Betty pulled up to the mansion, watching as people flooded inside the house. There were people sitting on cars outside, holding red plastic cups full of god knows what. Betty cringed at the sight. She hadn't seen a party like this since high school. She got out of her car and realized she was getting stared at immediately in her cocktail dress, and heels. She let the clip out of her hair and let her hair flow down her shoulders. As she walked across the lawn, she even heard someone whistle behind her. She almost turned around and punched whoever it was, but decided against it. 

She saw a lot of teenagers, and possible college kids. But she also saw people her own age. Even older. It was a weird crowd. She walked up to the front and froze when she saw someone familiar. Sweet Pea. The guy from the drug store. He was trailing behind a girl who was definitely younger than him. She was wearing a leather jacket at least three sizes too big for her, and a very short skirt that did not match with the high top converse she was wearing. Betty knew right away she was in high school. The guy looked furious. 

"Jellybean!" He finally yelled. He whipped around to look at him. Betty realized two things. Her name was Jellybean, which couldn't be a coincidence, and she was wearing a Serpent's jacket. It was too big to be hers, so it had to be Sweet Peas. They were Serpents. Betty came to this conclusion with alarm. And they knew Jughead. 

"What?" She snapped coldly. 

"This is _not_ a high school party." He said, looking at the house with a panicked look on his face. She shrugged sweetly. 

"So?" She said it was nothing. 

"So, I'm taking you home." He said, pointing over his shoulder. She rolled her eyes. 

"No way. I'm staying. You can go." She said, turning around. He only grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, towering over her. He looked pissed, and Betty leaned against the side of the house, watching the scene unfold, humored. 

"No. You're going home. Or I'm calling Jughead." He said. She got all up in his face, chewing gum obnoxiously. 

"Then I'm breaking up with you. And I'll tell Jughead you're dating his little sister." She said. Betty's smirk faded. She stared at Jellybean. _Jughead's little sister._ She swallowed hard. She wasn't sure why she was surprised he had a teenage sister. She'd only known the guy for two hours. Sweet Pea suddenly looked hurt, like she had just slapped him. He let go of her wrist. "That's what I thought." She muttered, before taking the leather jacket off, and practically throwing it at him. Betty almost felt bad for the guy. Almost. She turned around and walked away. Sweet Pea stood there, staring at his leather jacket in disgust. That's when he looked up and saw Betty. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned around. 

"Jesse!" He called from behind her. She froze. Too late. She rolled her eyes at the ridiculous name. She turned back around and smiled, walking up to him. 

"Oh, hey!" She said, a little too enthusiastically. "Trojan." She called him. He looked embarrassed. 

"Just Sweet Pea will do." He said honestly. Betty nodded. 

"The nickname wouldn't work anyway. You never got to use the condoms." Betty said, not really caring how insensitive that was. Sweet Pea had a sad look on his face, but it was gone almost as soon as it came. Betty realized he had been looking at her chest for a split second, but quickly looked away. He was trying to look anywhere but her body, her small dress clearly making him uncomfortable. 

"What's uh, what's with the getup?" He asked. Betty smiled. 

"Just got done with a funeral. A night funeral." She said. Sweet Pea stared at her, dumbfounded. 

"Wearing that?" He asked. She nodded with a smile. 

"Yeah. My boyfriend's wife just died." She said. Sweet Pea looked at her, his eyes widened. "Poor woman was only seventy-five," Betty said, wistfully. 

"I-" Sweet Pea began, unsure of how to respond. It was like he couldn't tell if she was joking or not. 

"Oh hey! That's kind of like you and your girl!" Betty said happily. "Get it? Because my boyfriend is seventy-five?" She chuckled, clearly both offending him and making him uncomfortable. "Gotta love high school, right? Anyway, I have to go save my friend from a bunch of stupid frat guys, so I'll see you later. Alright, champ." Betty bumped his shoulder, before walking away, leaving him at a complete loss of words. 

Betty moved through crowds of bodies and felt irritation continue to build up in her. The looks she was getting like she was the black sheep a crowd of white ones, was getting to her. Suddenly she heard a crashing noise and looked over to where the kitchen was. Her eyes widened, and she looked around for an escape. There was a group of guys and one girl in the kitchen, all wearing leather jackets with a coiling green snake on the back. Betty wasn't wearing her jacket, but after learning she had a reputation on the Southside, she wasn't taking any chances. 

Just as the girl looked over in her direction, having pink highlights imbedded in her long black hair, Betty ducked into the next room. She got out her phone and began texting Kevin at the speed of light. She wanted nothing more than to retrieve her friends and leave. When he didn't answer any of her texts, she called him. It went straight to voicemail. 

"Kev, where are you?" She demanded. "Seriously, I don't have time for cheap beer and horrible music." She hung up and then looked around. She looked at a guy standing next to her, who wasn't hiding the fact he was looking down at her cleavage, and he was also drunk. Betty smiled sweetly at him, before pulling a switchblade out of her purse, and switching it open. He was gone in seconds. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. 

Betty had explored upstairs, accidentally walking in on a few couples in bedrooms, but remaining unfazed. She was just coming down the stairs when she saw Veronica and Reggie. She was laughing at something Reggie had said, and she was no longer wearing her dress. She had changed into a dark purple tank-top and some blue jeans. What pissed Betty off was the Ghoulie jacket she was wearing. Betty stalked over, and when Reggie and Veronica saw her, their smiles faded. 

"What the hell are you wearing?" Betty asked. Veronica gave Reggie a look before looking back at Betty. 

"My jacket. You're a little overdressed yourself." 

"We're in Riverdale. Riverdale." Betty said. 

"So?"

"So? So you can't wear that here! You're going to get yourself killed." 

"Reggie's here." 

"Reggie can go fuck himself." Betty spat, glaring up at the tall, irritated looking man. 

"Look, are you mad about what happened at dinner earlier? Because I should be mad at you." Veronica said. "I thought you weren't even coming to this party." 

"Trust me, there are a million things I would rather be doing than be here." Betty looked around in disgust. "I'm looking for Kevin and Cheryl. Kevin called me about an hour ago and I can't find either of them." Suddenly Betty's phone went off and she scrambled to look at it. She relaxed when she saw it was just Malachi. She hit decline. "Can you just help me find them so I can get out of here?" Betty asked, looking up at them. Veronica nodded. 

"Yeah. Of course." Veronica said. "Should we split up?" 

"No." Betty said immediately. "You are staying with Reggie. I will split up from you guys. Keep your phones on you." Betty said. Before Veronica could protest, Betty walked away. 

Betty decided to check outside, through both the backyard and front yard. She even called Cheryl's cell, despite Kevin telling her she had blacked out. But there was no sign of them. It occurred to Betty they could have left, and Kevin's phone died, but that only infuriated her. 

Betty had just walked into the main common area of the house and was thinking about just leaving. Veronica and Reggie would deal with it. A small voice in her head was telling her how wrong that was. Betty hated this. She wanted to get the hell out of Riverdale. It was like poison. Reaching every cell in her body, causing her pain. It wasn't just Riverdale. It was this part. The Northside. She was too close. Too close to things she wanted to be far from.

She looked at her phone to see Malachi was calling her, yet again. It was out of character for him, but the possibility that he was worried she hadn't come back to the trailer park occurred to her. She decided she didn't care and declined his call. She let out a sigh and continued walking through the house, ready to call Veronica's cell and ask her if she saw any redheads. She heard a familiar, angry voice come from behind her and turned at just the wrong time. 

Everything happened so fast. It was loud in the large house, filled with mixtures of blasting, awful dance music, and people talking, yelling over the music to be heard. The smell of cheap beer and weed was overwhelming.

Right when she turned around, she felt cold liquid suddenly hit her, spreading across her chest and down to her dress. She let out a gasp, and her mouth gaped in shock. The smell of alcohol was suddenly overwhelming. She looked up to see who exactly she was about to murder. When she saw who it was, her fury grew. Jughead stared down at her, more specifically where he had just spilled beer on her. He looked at her face, and then back down at her ruined dress. 

"That... Was an accident." He said, sounding defeated. This wasn't the same drunk from dinner. That was definitely an act. This guy looked both extremely irritated, yet genuinely sorry about what just happened. Betty glared up at him. She decided, she didn't care that he was deciding to be less of an asshole right now of all times. She looked over his shoulder. The same teenage girl from earlier stood behind him, obviously drunk, and obviously furious with her older brother's presence. Betty understood. He had just ripped the cup of beer away from her. 

"Of course _you_ 're here." Betty spat. She looked down at her beer-stained dress and back up at him, still staring at her in surprise. She suddenly put her hand on his shoulder and brought her knee up between his legs. She had no regrets. He let out a groan and immediately bent over. Betty rolled her eyes, before walking past him. She gave a sideways look at Jellybean, who had doubled over in laughter, unable to control herself. Suddenly Veronica was behind her. 

"Hey! We found them. They're in the car-" Veronica stopped and looked over Betty's shoulder. "Is that-" 

"We're leaving. Right now." Betty said, grabbing Veronica's arm. Veronica followed Betty with alarmed, wide eyes. 

"What did you do?" She asked, yelling over the music. 

In the car, Reggie was driving, and Betty was in the passenger's seat. Veronica, a passed out Cheryl, and Kevin were in the back. Betty told them what had happened with Jughead in the house. It was a very brief occurrence. She also explained how she lied to some Serpent and told him ridiculous stories. 

"Betty!" Veronica said when she was done. "I can't believe you did that!" Veronica buried her face in her hands. 

"I can." Kevin said, not sounding surprised. 

"He spilled fucking beer on me." Betty said, her voice full of pure annoyance. 

"Only you would kick some guy in the nuts for spilling something on you." Reggie retorted. He looked at Betty, who had murder in her eyes. He quickly looked back at the road and shut up. 

"Seriously, first at the restaurant, and now this?" Veronica said, in annoyance. "You're going to blow this whole thing." 

"The guy is an asshole. Why don't you marry the sister instead?" Betty asked, craning her neck and smiling at Veronica sarcastically. "She seems cool. You should have seen her threatening that guy. Total badass." Betty said, hoping none of them were actually taking her seriously. 

"You aren't funny." Veronica said. "Jesse." She added, rolling her eyes. It was meant as a jab, but Betty smirked to herself. "God, tonight was a disaster." She shook her head and continued to bury her face in her hands. 

"Listen, I have learned more about that guy tonight than I learned in history class back in high school." Betty said, rolling her eyes. "Both of those things are unnecessary." 

"I know why you're acting like such a bitch." Kevin chimed in. Betty's smirk faded from her mouth. 

"Why's that?" She asked, sounding amused. 

"The anniversary's next week." 

"What anniversary?" Betty asked, even though she knew exactly what Kevin was talking about. Everyone in the car did. 

"The day your father died." Kevin said. Translation: The day you murdered your father. The whole car fell silent. 

"Right. That." Betty said, looking away from all of them, making it so Reggie couldn't see her face. 

"Oh, shit." Veronica muttered. "Betty, I completely forgot." 

"So did I." Betty said quickly. "Uh, I have to make a call so can everyone be quiet for a second?" Betty asked, pulling her phone out. Anything to make this conversation dissipate. 

"Betts..." Veronica began, but Betty practically slammed her finger down on Malachi's contact. She pressed her phone to her ear and listened to the phone ring. He answered on the third ring. 

"There she is." He said before she could say anything. Betty couldn't help but smile and laugh, looking down at her lap. The sound of his voice was almost refreshing. 

"Finally." She said. Reggie glanced at her but quickly glanced back at the road. 

"You're saying that to me? Where have you been?" 

"What, did you think I was in some kind of trouble?" 

"With you? Hell no. I was beginning to think you were with some other guy." He said. Betty rolled her eyes, but the smile never left her lips. She grew silent, and she could practically sense his smile fading. "You okay?" He asked. 

"Are you high?" She asked. 

"Is this a trick question?" 

"Nope." 

"Then yeah. I'm completely gone." He said honestly. Betty laughed lightly and shook her head. 

"Good. I'd prefer it that way. I'm on my way back. Can we hang out?" She asked. She truly just wanted to hang out with someone who hadn't just experienced the last four hours with her. She didn't even want to talk about it. 

"Always. I'll be waiting." He said. She nodded. 

"I'll see you then." She said. Before he could say anything else, she hung up. 

"Seriously?" Veronica asked, from the backseat. 

"What?" 

"Are you guys together now?" 

"Of course not." Betty said as if that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. "What did they say after I left the restaurant?" Betty asked. Veronica heaved out a sigh and remained silent for a minute. Betty could practically see her shaking her head with pursed lips. 

"Well there's still no date for the wedding." Veronica said pointedly. She sounded the tiniest bit relieved. Reggie snorted, and Betty looked at him. He remained silent, staring at the dark road ahead. Betty waited for Veronica to continue. "I don't know. In the car, they were like, encouraging me to see him. It was weird, okay?" 

"So you guys are allowed to interact now?" Betty asked. She watched as Veronica nodded in the rearview mirror. "Do you like him?" 

"Please, I've known him for a few hours." 

"Are you attracted to him?" 

"Betty." 

"What? I'm just saying you should be attracted to the guy you're being forced to marry." 

"Nobody's forcing me to do anything!" Veronica snapped. Betty stared out her window into the pitched darkness on the side of the road, saying nothing. "He's alright. Okay?" 

"Just alright?" Kevin asked. Betty watched in the rearview mirror as Veronica glared at Kevin. 

"I don't know. Archie seemed really nice." 

"Well you're not marrying Archie, you're marrying Jughead." Betty said bitterly. Veronica stared at her as if she didn't believe the way she was acting. She just slumped back in her seat, and crossed her arms over her chest, like a toddler. Betty could see Reggie glaring at her, with his jaw clenched in the corner of her eye. She didn't care if she was acting cruel or being mean. She felt like cutting someone's head off. 

When Reggie slowed the car, pulling up in front of Betty's trailer, she unbuckled her seatbelt and then got out of the car, violently slamming the door behind her, before stalking over to her trailer, and opening the door. 

"Easy!" She could hear Reggie yell behind her. She gave him the middle finger, before going inside and slamming the door shut behind her. 

She didn't even realize that Malachi wasn't there, waiting for her until she got that stupid dress off and showered. When she had brushed out her wet hair and put on clothes that were two sizes too big for her, she realized. She wasn't mad. She may have even been a bit relieved. It still made her the slightest bit irritated that _he_ was the one who blew her off. She hated that it wasn't her. Then again, these thoughts made her realize how much of a control freak she was turning into. 

  
The next day, she walked into the bar ten minutes before it was supposed to open. She had put on knee-high boots that day and did her makeup darkly-not that she didn't do that every day-and had been wearing a regular black tank top with her leather jacket over it. 

"We're closed, come back in ten minutes!" Cheryl yelled, before looking up and realizing who it was. "Oh." Betty walked over and sat down on a stool. 

"Can we talk?" Betty asked. Cheryl raised an eyebrow. Her hair had been blown out, and carefully curled just like every day. It was full of volume. That was something she valued. Cheryl was a cold-hearted bitch in Betty's opinion but one thing she deeply cared about was her hair. Veronica suggested getting highlights to her once, and Cheryl almost had a temper tantrum. 

"You want to talk to me?" 

"Listen, I need to act like an asshole without someone getting offended. That's you." Betty said. Cheryl nodded. 

"Alright." She said, meticulously. "Have at it." 

"I can't do this." Betty said. 

"Do... What?" 

"This whole... Merge. The serpents. I can't do it." 

"Why not, Betty? You've been making such a big deal out of it lately. I sometimes wonder who's supposed to be suffering here. You, or Veronica." Cheryl rested a manicured hand on the bar and began to drag her nail through the puddles of leftover condensation. 

"I'm not _suffering,_ okay? It's just..." Betty froze and began to zone out. 

"What?" 

"I uh-" Betty stared at Cheryl. "You need to promise me something." 

"Holy shit, what?" Cheryl asked, clearly annoyed. 

"I'm being serious, you have to promise." 

"I am too. What is it?" 

"Promise me you won't tell anybody what I'm about to tell you." Betty said. Cheryl stared at her, narrowing her eyes. "Cheryl!" 

"Okay, okay. I promise." Cheryl said, putting her hands up in surrender. Betty nodded, satisfied. 

"My mom was a Serpent." Betty said softly. She looked down at the bar, with such a softness in her face. Cheryl's features softened, and she continued to stare at Betty. 

"Oh." She said, unsure how to respond. 

"Nobody knows. I mean, it was when she was in high school. She used to... Be with Fp Jones. I mean until she met my dad." A frown line formed between Betty's eyebrows, and she picked at a loose string from her leather jacket. "She got kicked out of the Serpents. I'm not afraid. I mean, I should be, but I'm not." Betty looked up at Cheryl. "I'm not afraid if somebody finds out. But I mean, what would happen? If Hiram found out? If Fp found out I'm her daughter?" 

"Hold on." Cheryl said, putting her hand up. "How does he not already know? If she fucked a Ghoulie, and that Ghoulie was your dad, I mean what are the chances?" 

"Because she never told anybody his name." Betty said. "As far as Fp was concerned, Hal Cooper never existed to him. He's just some stupid serial killer that happens to be my dad." 

"That married Alice Smith." Cheryl said flatly. Betty shook her head. 

"That information is private. I mean, if you were to google 'The Black Hood' the details of his family are sealed." Betty explained. "If Hiram found out, he might think I'm delivering information to them. And... If Fp found out... I don't know what he would do." 

"You're being paranoid. Nobody could possibly know, you just told me that." Cheryl said. She smirked. "Damn Betty. You're a hybrid." She said, as if impressed. "Wait, so that's why you hate the Serpents so much? Because your mom was one?" 

"No. I hate the Serpents because they kicked her out for getting pregnant with some Ghoulie. Fuck that. They're all a bunch of fucking assholes. Jughead Jones proved that to me." Betty snapped. Cheryl rolled her eyes. 

"You hate the Serpents too." Betty said. Cheryl nodded. 

"I do. They're a bunch of dogs who need leashes." She admitted. 

"Exactly. And I'll be damned if Hiram Lodge is going to tell me how to behave." Betty said, her voice growing dark. Cheryl smirked. 

"I like that. Go, rogue, Betty. I'll just stand back and watch." She said, nodding her approval. Betty rolled her eyes and leaned her forearms on the bar. She let out a numb sigh and turned her head when the door opened. Cheryl looked over at Malachi, jumping up to touch a beam like a little boy as he walked over. Cheryl made a sound of disgust and clicked her tongue. 

"We're closed, weirdo." Cheryl called. 

"I'm not here to drink. Wait, bars open this early in the morning? Do people actually drink that early?" He asked. Cheryl rolled her eyes in annoyance. Betty only glared at him. He smiled apologetically at her. 

"Sorry, love. I had business to attend to." He said, sitting on the stool next to her. Cheryl walked into the back, shaking her head as she did so. 

"Business? Do I even want to know?" Betty asked, with a raised eyebrow. 

"I couldn't tell you, even if I wanted to." Malachi said, giving her a lazy grin. It looked like he hadn't slept all night. 

"Hm." Betty mused. "Don't get caught." She was thinking about Hiram. Betty and Malachi were very different in a lot of ways. Hiram always tried to keep a tight leash on Betty, because of her lack of obedience and the fact she might just be one of the deadliest Ghoulies. Malachi, on the other hand, didn't have that tight of a leash. But he was still a problem. He did shady things, things that were against Hiram's rules and unacceptable. But he was damn good at getting away with those things. That was something that differed from Betty. She wasn't as vigilante. 

"Not a chance." He said. "So, how was that little adventure last night?" Betty looked up at him, warily. "I know everything, Betty." He said in a low voice that almost made him sound sinister. Betty breathed out as she shook her head. 

"I never wanted to go to that stupid party. The whole thing was a mess. This Jughead guy, he was a dick. He didn't even say two words to Veronica." Betty looked up at Malachi. She noticed the scowl on his face at the mention of Jughead's name, but it was gone as soon as it came. He looked away as if bored with the conversation. "Mal?" 

"Hm?" He asked, looking at her. 

"Do you know something?" 

"Like what?" 

"I thought you knew everything." Betty said, mocking him. He chuckled and bit the inside of his cheek. 

"What, Betty?" He said, a little more firmly. 

"What did you do to him?" Betty asked, the anger slowly seeping into her tone. 

"What makes you think he didn't do anything to me?" 

"Kai." Betty said, making sure he knew she was not in the mood for games. 

"Look, it was just a little bar fight, okay? Just chill." 

"Bar fight? The Whyte Wyrm?" Betty asked. He stayed silent. "You're crossing Serpent territory now? What the hell is wrong with you? Are you that selfish and inconsiderate?" 

"I've been doing this for years, babe. You're the one who doesn't like to get up close and personal so I don't know why you're mad about _me_ withholding information from you." He snapped. Betty wondered if Cheryl was behind that wall, listening to every word intently. Malachi must have not cared if she heard, or else he wouldn't have said anything at all. 

"I can't believe you. You only care about yourself, huh?" Betty asked. Malachi scoffed and shook his head as if that was the funniest joke he had ever heard. 

"I came to see you. What do you want from me?" He asked. Betty smiled in disbelief and shook her head. 

"I want you to stop being _stupid_ , and messing with people who could kill you." Betty said, standing up. She regretted the words instantly. It almost sounded like she cared about him, but that was not the intent. He let out a long sigh as she walked toward the door. 

"Betty." He said, in exasperation. Betty left and walked over to her car. She admitted, she might have been a little overdramatic. She knew Malachi was not stupid, and she knew he wouldn't do anything to get himself killed that easily. Maybe it was just the fact he hadn't told her he went to the Southside often. More signs she's turning into a control freak. Great. Betty looked at her dash, looking at the time. She had half an hour until she had to start her shift, at her other job. 

Betty let out a sigh before putting on her seatbelt and then starting the engine, hearing it stutter for a moment before it roared and came to life. Betty pressed her lips into a straight, thin line. She couldn't afford a new car, but the one she had was a piece of shit. She shook her head before pulling out of the parking lot. When she pulled up to the old garage and got out of her car, she grinned at the older man that had hired Betty when she was fifteen. 

"You're early." He reminded her. 

"I was nearby." Betty said, walking past him and opening the door before going inside. He followed her inside, and she noticed the dirty rag he was wiping his grease-stained hands with.

His name was Charlie, and he had been friends with Betty's dad. He really had no idea that Hal Cooper was affiliated with a gang, or that he was a serial killer. He had no idea Betty had followed her father's footsteps in joining a gang, and Betty had no intention of him finding out. It was different with him. It was nice to be looked at as someone normal. Somebody who had no idea what she had to deal with every day. To him, she was just an ordinary girl who lived in her own apartment in Greendale and liked cars. She liked it that way. 

"You have that look on your face." He pointed out. 

"What look?" She asked, frowning at him playfully. 

"Like you want to hurl a brick at someone." He said, smiling and nodding. Betty sighed. 

"Nope. That's just my face." She said, winking at him. He shook his head. 

"I actually have to go buy some spare parts. You mind opening up?" He asked. Betty stood up straight and saluted to him. He smiled and rolled his eyes, before leaving the small room, the bell ringing as he left. Betty smiled to herself, and sat down in the chair behind the desk, looking at the sheet on a clipboard of all the names of people that would come by that day for pickups. 

She had been sitting there for a while, answering calls and signing some things so Charlie didn't have to when she looked up. She saw a familiar car parked outside, and the calm look on her face went away when she saw Reggie step out, and then look directly at her. 


	5. The Package

Betty stood up abruptly, pushing the clipboard aside and pushing out the doors, walking outside to where Reggie was. He was a few feet away from the door, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise when she stepped in his way, glaring up at him through her eyelashes.

"Hello to you too." Reggie muttered. 

"What are you doing here?" Betty asked, her voice full of rage. "You know I don't like you coming here." He knew about her second job. A lot of her circle did. But they knew if they stepped foot on the property, Betty wouldn't hesitate to bite their heads off. She refused to include Charlie in her gang life. He was one of her very, very few soft spots. 

"Hiram needs a favor." 

"Well I'm working so it's just going to have to wait." Betty said, defiantly. 

"I'll take over, and when Charlie comes back I'll just explain you had an emergency. He will understand." Reggie said. 

"No!" Betty said firmly. "You aren't going anywhere near him." 

"Betty..." 

"No, Reggie!" Betty said, avoiding eye contact with him. She didn't like not having the upper hand. She didn't like to be vulnerable. She scrambled to put her cold shell back up. 

"Betty. He won't know who I am. As far as he is concerned, I'm a close friend. But you need to do this." Reggie said calmly, but firmly. Betty bounced her knee back and forth impatiently. 

"What?" She muttered. 

"You need to go to the Southside." Reggie said. Betty glared incredulously at him. "Listen, he has a package he needs you to deliver to Fp Jones. He's trusting you to do this and not fuck it up." Reggie said as if it was extremely crucial. 

"Why can't you do it?" Betty asked, wondering why Hiram would trust Betty to go into a pit of Serpents alone. 

"Because he trusts _you_." Reggie said. She looked into his eyes. She knew what he meant. Reggie wasn't as cold and ruthless as she could be. If something went wrong, Hiram trusted Betty to take care of it. She nodded. 

"Fine." She sighed out. "What's in the package anyway? Cocaine? A bomb? Infinity stone?" Betty asked. Reggie stared at her, unamused. She put her hands up. "No jokes. Got it." 

"You're only there to drop off the package." Reggie warned. Betty waved her hand in dismissal. "It's in your car." 

"I got it, _Reginald._ " Betty said. He scrunched his nose at the name but shook his head in annoyance. Betty didn't bother asking how it ended up in her car. She didn't want to know. Betty touched two fingers to her forehead and saluted to him sarcastically before walking past him. He shoved his hands into his pockets and watched as she got into her car, and shut the door behind her. 

Betty had been nervously tapping her fingers on the steering wheel on the drive to Riverdale. It wasn't that she was actually nervous to see all those disgusting Serpents. It was that she was nervous to cross the borders of Riverdale itself. The more she thought about it, it was morbid to be more scared of _that_ than the Serpents. She rolled her eyes at herself and kept her eyes on the road. 

When she got to Riverdale and then drove into Serpent territory, she put the car in park, and reached into her backseat. She grabbed her leather jacket from back there and put it on. She knew it was bold, but the Serpents wouldn't have recognized her as their own anyway. She looked down at herself. She was wearing her uniform for the auto shop. A button-up, worn blue shirt, with the first two buttons broken. She winced, suddenly regretting not going home first and changing. She was used to working when nobody was around to see her. 

Her pants were plain skinny jeans with old oil stains on them. She let out a sigh, before reaching down and making sure the knife she always kept in her boot was still there. It was. She also had her switchblade in her back pocket. She was satisfied. Guns really weren't her thing. Not after... well, if she was being honest, she really didn't even like the sight of a gun. She got out of the car and straightened her jacket. 

She went around to the other side and opened the back door. She raised her eyebrows when she saw a carefully packaged bag. The contents were not visible. She clicked her tongue and shook her head, picking up the package, and then shutting the door. 

She began to walk, hearing the crunch of dirt beneath her feet. She wasn't exactly sure where to go. The Southside wasn't exactly big. She had parked her car in the Whyte Wyrm's parking lot, but there wasn't much distance between that, and a trailer park she could see in her sights. And a few other buildings. People in leather jackets walked all around her, spotting her own jacket and giving her glares. She only glared back at them, unintimidated. 

She let out a sigh, wishing Reggie would have given her more instruction. Telling her exactly where to find Fp Jones would have been a good start. That's when she spotted a familiar red-head walking out of the Whyte Wyrm, with two other men on his side. Archie grinned at the one on his right, standing tall compared to the two of them. Betty recognized the quiet one on Archie's other side. It was Sweet Pea. Betty let out a sigh and rolled her eyes before walking over. 

"Wait, what the hell is a-" The nameless one began, before his eyes drifted off to Betty, stalking towards them. Archie's grin faded, and a hard expression replaced it as he stared at Betty. Sweet Pea raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw her jacket. 

"Hello, boys." Betty said, stopped a few feet away from them and smirking. 

"Jesse?" Sweet Pea asked. Both the other two boys looked at them. 

"Who the hell is Jesse?" Archie asked. Sweet Pea glanced at them, and then back at Betty. 

" _That's_ Jesse." He said, pointing at her. "The crazy chick I was telling you about." Betty raised an eyebrow. 

"Crazy, huh?" She asked. Sweet Pea winced and recoiled. 

"That's just Betty." Archie muttered, looking back over at the considerately small blonde. "What are you doing here?" Betty caught the glare Sweet Pea shot her, realizing he had been lied to and joked about. Betty ignored it, not finding it in her to care. 

"Where can I find Fp Jones?" Betty asked. The nameless short man snorted, on Archie's right side. Betty stared at him, with such a cold stare that his amused smile went away. She then looked back at Archie. Her eyes wandered to something glinting, sticking out of the back of his pants, but to the side enough that Betty could see it. A gun. She looked back up into his brown eyes. It only irritated her. Why did men feel such a need to carry fire-arms to feel intimidating? 

"Fp isn't here right now." 

"Then where is he?" Betty snapped. 

"You aren't understanding. He's out of town." Archie snapped back. Betty stood there, staring at him. What was she supposed to do now? Archie's eyes wandered to the package she was holding in her hands. "But you can give that to Jughead. He takes care of that stuff around here." Betty had no idea what that meant. Why wouldn't Fp do it? 

"I have strict orders to give this to Fp." Betty said, stubbornly. 

"Well, then." Archie said, looking like he was growing bored with her. "You have a great day. I hope Hiram isn't too mad you came back with _that_." He said, looking at her hands. "Let's go." He muttered, to his companions. They both gave Betty sinister smirks before walking past her. Betty shut her eyes, letting out a sigh. She could practically hear Reggie's voice in her head. 

"Holy shit, fine." Betty said, turning around. Archie looked over his shoulder at her. "Where is the bastard?" Betty snapped. Archie smirked, and cocked his head, telling her to follow. She reluctantly began to follow the three men. 

They ended up at an auto repair shop. Betty almost choked at the sight of it. How coincidental. They all walked into it, and Betty saw a girl in a rolling chair behind the desk, turned away from them. She had golden-brown hair and looked rather small. She turned around, and they were met with bright blue eyes that seemed to glimmer in the sunlight. Jellybean looked like she had a bad taste in her mouth at the sight of them. 

"What are you three idiots doing here?" She spat. Betty noticed the way she noticeably refused to look at Sweet Pea, who had begun to frown in frustration. Betty smiled, amused. Jellybean's eyes drifted over to Betty, and a small smile crawled onto her lips. "Oh?" 

"Where's Jughead?" Archie growled, not in the mood for games. Jellybean looked at him, and her smile disappeared. 

"Ask me nicer, Andrews." She said. Archie rolled his eyes. 

"Tell me where Jughead is, and stop acting like a little brat." He said coldly. Betty raised her eyebrows. Jellybean glared at him through her lashes. 

"He's in his trailer, you worthless piece of shit." She snapped, standing up and shoving past Betty, out the glass door. Betty rubbed her arm in annoyance. She wasn't one to hang around teenage girls, but she was slowly learning that she was not a fan of them. Sweet Pea stared at the door before looking at Archie. 

"I got to go help Joaquin fix his bike." He muttered, walking out the glass door. Betty watched him, before looking at Archie and the other man. So they didn't know. Interesting.

Betty felt her gut clench with disgust. She couldn't imagine having this much drama with the Ghoulies. It made her glad nobody had any annoying younger siblings to deal with. Archie and the other one didn't seem to bat an eye or even pay attention when Sweet Pea left. Archie just shook his head in irritation and turned to look at Betty. 

"Go take her to Jughead's trailer." Archie said to the shorter man. He scowled, but when he saw the look on Archie's face, he just nodded. Betty felt alarm build up in her for just a second. He wasn't going to stay with her while she gave the package to Jughead. And something told her neither was the other one. The man with the cropped dark brown hair just rolled his eyes and nodded, before shoving past Betty. The next time that happened, Betty was going to gut whoever did it. She followed Fangs out the building and onto the dirt road. 

"What's his problem?" Betty asked, walking beside the Serpent. His face had grown a lot more somber. 

"He's in a mood." He muttered. Betty nodded and looked down at his hand. On his wrist, were tattoo of two long triangles, angled towards each other. Betty furrowed her brows. 

"What's that?" She asked. He looked down at his hand, and looked away, continuing to walk. 

"My name." He said. Betty looked back down at the tattoo again and back up at him, confused. 

"Fangs?" She asked when she realized. He just nodded. "Your name can't seriously be Fangs." 

"That's it." He muttered. Betty just looked away, straight ahead as they walked. 

"Why do you guys have weird names?" Betty asked. Fangs only grunted in response. "Jughead, Fangs, Sweet Pea. Archie is less weird but it's not normal. Jellybean? Those aren't your real names." 

"Stop talking." Fangs warned, in a low growl. Betty put her hands up on either side of her head, in defeat. _Serpents have no sense of humor_ , Betty thought. Or maybe they just have no sense of humor when a Ghoulie was around. Betty thought back to the huge grin Archie had on his face before he saw her. They stopped in front of a white trailer, and Fangs looked at her. "He's in there." He said, and then smirked as if he wouldn't wanna be her. "Good luck." He said, before walking away, leaving nothing but the sound of the dirt crunching beneath his feet.

Betty glared in his direction, and then looked at the trailer. She let out a sigh, looking around. His trailer was more secluded than the other ones. She nodded her head, before walking up the steps and knocking hard. She waited a moment, and when there was no answer, she rolled her eyes before opening the door herself and walking in. It wasn't locked, to her surprise.

She looked around the long trailer. She set the package down on a table before her eyes adjusted to the light. It was full of beer bottles, and it smelt of cigarette smoke. She furrowed her eyebrows as she walked deeper into the trailer. Few photos were placed randomly. None of Fp Jones. There was one of a very young boy with black hair, and an even younger girl with bright blue eyes and golden brown hair. 

The walls were stained, and wallpaper was peeling. There was an old TV in one part of the room, and a door at the far end that was tightly shut. Betty assumed that was his bedroom. Betty continued to look around. Maybe just to get to know more of who her best friend was marrying, without actually having to talk to him. Betty spotted a bra in the far corner of the room and wondered if it was Jellybean's, or a friend of Jugheads. Betty was about to turn around when she practically jumped five feet in the air and let out a sharp gasp. Jughead grinned down at her. 

"What the hell?" Betty snapped, looking behind him. The bedroom door was open, and she hadn't heard it open, or his footsteps. She froze when she realized he wasn't wearing a shirt. She looked up at him and realized his hair was wet like he had just gotten out of the shower. He wore a pair of black jeans, to which she was grateful. She looked away, trying not to look at him. "Do you mind?" She asked. 

"No, I don't mind at all. You can snoop around all you want." He said, and she hated the arrogance in his voice. 

"Can you put a shirt on?" She snapped, her eyes momentarily taking in the sight of his torso, before looking away again. He chuckled, before walking away from her and grabbing a random shirt from the couch. He put it on, and she felt her shoulders relax. 

"To what do I owe the pleasure, princess?" He asked. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"Don't call me that." She said. "I'm only here to drop something off." 

"I saw." He said, sitting on the couch and folding his arms behind his head. She crossed her arms over her chest. 

"Great. Then I can go." She said, turning away. 

"Hold on." He said, and she stopped. He stood up and walked over to her. "I know you." 

"Yeah, we met last night. You also spilled beer on me. That dress is ruined now, thank you." Betty snapped. Jughead smirked but shook his head. 

"No. That's not it." He said. Betty tensed up, backing up until she hit the wall. He only got closer to her, as if trying to place her. "You're that cheerleader." He said, his smile growing across his face. Betty stared at him hard, before shaking her head hard. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"Yeah you do. Riverdale High. Sophomore year. You were the captain of the cheer team. This was before your dad started murdering our classmates of course." Jughead said harshly. So he did know. Betty looked away from him. 

"I went to high school in Greendale." 

"Not before sophomore year." He said, his voice deep. Betty felt her face began to heat up. 

"Oh yeah, I remember you. You used to dance around, tell other girls what to do. Can I tell you a secret?" He leaned closer, and she winced in disgust as she felt his breathing on her neck. "You were my favorite." He whispered into her ear. Betty's face turned into an ugly glare. He pulled back, still smirking. "Do your Ghoulies know that you used to be a cheerleader, wearing pastels, ponytails, telling other prissy little girls what to do?" Jughead asked. 

Suddenly, Betty grabbed his shoulder with all her might and shoved him against the wall, so the front of his body and side of his face was pressed up against the wall. She twisted his arm on his back and he let out a groan, but she could hear him laughing lightly beneath that groan. Betty took her knife out of her boot, and held it against the side of his neck, pressing the cool blade of the metal to his skin. He was unfazed by the blade, but he didn't fight back against her either. 

"No. Do your Serpents know you used to obsess over cheerleaders? How come I don't remember you, but you remember me?" She asked. That smile of his faded. "Oh right. You were probably a loser who only dreamed of being with girls like me. If you ever mention any of your stupid lied to _my_ Ghoulies, I'll have them tear you to shreds. But they will leave you, still breathing. Still breathing so I can finish you off." Betty snapped.

She could feel him begin to move. He would get out of her grip any second. So she let him go and turned her back away from him-big mistake-and continued to walk towards the door, gritting her teeth as she did so. The next thing she knew, she felt him grab her free arm and yank her back, pushing her up against the wall. When she raised her knife, he easily took it away from her and sent it skidding on the floor across the room, before pinning her wrists on the wall above her head. She glared defiantly at him. 

" _You_ don't get to talk to _me_ that way." He seethed in her face. She didn't flinch a bit. 

"Why? Because you're Serpent royalty? I'll talk to you however I want." She shot back. His grip on her wrists tightened, and he got closer to her. She watched as he looked her up and down, looking down her slightly unbuttoned shirt, before letting go of her wrists. She didn't move, she just let her arms drop to her sides. She looked into his dark green eyes for one more second before slipping away from in front of him. She walked towards where her knife lay. 

"Leave the knife." He said firmly. She glared at him, before opening the door, and leaving, slamming it closed behind her.

She had to walk past the shop on her way to the Whyte Wyrm, and as she did, she heard Archie's voice call her name. She stopped in her tracks, still feeling anger seeping out of every pore, and turned around. Sitting around was Archie, Fangs, and some girl with light tan skin and black hair, with pink streaks in it. She was looking Betty up and down as if deciphering something. Archie was smirking in her direction. 

"How'd it go?" Archie asked. Betty crossed her arms over her chest. 

"I asked for Fp Jones." She spat. Archie looked at Fangs and they both began to laugh lightly. Toni glared at them like dogs. Betty just gritted her teeth. Archie looked at her and shrugged. 

"That bad, huh? Sorry, he chewed you up." 

"He didn't chew me up." Betty snapped. 

"He took your knife." Archie said, nodding towards Betty's boot. She looked down, and then back up at him. 

"You knew I had a knife?" Betty asked, a frown line forming between her eyebrows. 

"You've got another knife in your back pocket. It's a switchblade." The girl said, sitting back in her chair, and raising an eyebrow. Her voice was smooth, yet full of poison. She was staring holes into Betty. "If you're going to bring weapons onto _our_ territory, we're going to know about it." She spat. Betty stared back at her, just as hard. Archie looked between them, before giving Fangs a look. Fangs cocked his head, and Archie looked at Betty. 

"You did what you came to do." Archie said, his voice not as nervous and nice as it was the night before. "You can go." He said, smiling coldly at her. Betty stared at all of them, planning each of their murders. Betty suddenly smiled. 

"It was nice to see you all." Betty said, making sure they knew she didn't mean a word. She then turned on her heel and walked to the parking lot to the bar. Her hatred for Serpents had never been as strong as it was then. 

When Betty got back, Reggie had been working on a car, his sleeves rolled up. He heard Betty's car roll up and the sound of her door open and slam closed. He stood up straight, wiping his hands and turning around. He had an amused look on his face as he watched Betty stomp up to him. 

"How did it go?" Reggie asked, smiling. Betty shook her head and glared at him as she walked past him, into the garage. Reggie followed her as she stepped into the shop and went into the back. "You came back in one piece." 

"I will tear them all to _shreds_." Betty yelled as she squats down and opened a cabinet, full of shirts. Reggie furrowed his eyebrows, and leaned against the door frame, watching her. 

"What happened?" He asked. She ignored him, digging through the numerous shirts. "What are you doing?" 

"I'm looking for a damn shirt that will fit me. A _new_ one." She snapped. Reggie chuckled lightly. 

"What's wrong with the one you have? Your name is on the one you have." 

"The fucking buttons don't work, Reggie!" Betty said in frustration as she grabbed a shirt and stood up straight. 

"You're mad about a button?" He asked. She began unbuttoning the shirt she already had on, not seeming to care that Reggie was there. He quickly turned around. 

"No, I'm not mad about the button, I just don't want to go back there." Betty snapped from behind him. He let out a frustrated sigh. 

"Betty, what happened?" He asked, turning his head slightly, without looking back at her. She shoved past him when her new shirt was on and walked back into the garage. 

"Nothing happened." She muttered. "I just hate..." She turned around once she was in the open garage and looked at Reggie. "Him." 

" _Jughead?_ " Reggie asked, perplexed. 

"Yes!" 

"Betty, what did you do?" 

"Of course you ask what it is I did." Betty said, rolling her eyes. She bit her nail and thought back to when she was in his trailer. His hands having her arms pinned against the wall, and his eyes lingering on her body. His eyebrows lowered, and that dark look he had on his face as he towered over her. 

"Betty." Reggie said firmly, drawing her attention back to him. 

"Sorry, what?" 

"Did he do something to you?" Reggie asked. He looked genuinely concerned. Betty shook his head. 

"No." She finally said. "He's just an asshole." Reggie let out a breath. "Look, I'm really sick of you interrogating me for things, and blaming me for everything... When it's you who's going to screw this whole thing up." Reggie stared at her. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"You yelled at me, told me Hiram was going to kill me for saying all those awful things. Well, you're the one who's fucking his daughter!" Betty snapped. Reggie stared at Betty with raised eyebrows before rubbing his hands over his face and starting to pace. "Yeah. Do you think I don't know? What, am I some kind of idiot?" 

"She told you?" Reggie asked, his voice hitching. Betty frowned. 

"No. Like I said. I just know. It's obvious." 

"It was just once." Reggie said defensively. Betty stared at him hard, before scoffing. 

"What?" She asked. "I can't believe you, are you stupid? When?" 

"Why are you so surprised, you just said you knew." Reggie shot back. 

"I was bluffing. You were supposed to deny it, Reggie! I wasn't a hundred percent sure." Betty said, before rolling her eyes. "When?" She repeated. Reggie shoved his hands in his pockets. 

"The night before the dinner." He mumbled. "The night before last." Betty froze. 

"But I spent the night at Veronica's that night." Betty said. Reggie stayed silent. Betty remembered being half-awake, feeling the bed shift as Veronica got up, and left. Betty assumed she was going to the bathroom. She fell back asleep. Betty's mouth dropped open and she made a face of disgust. "Oh!" She said, starting to gag. "She came back to bed after-" Betty shook her head. "You're disgusting!" 

"It wasn't planned or anything!" Reggie said quickly. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"How dare you yell at _me_ for my outburst!" 

"At least I'm discreet." 

"Yeah, what do you want me to do? Give you a high five? Good job, Reggie!" 

"It doesn't mean anything." Reggie said. "She just wanted to be with someone, okay? Someone she trusts. Before this whole thing starts and she will have to marry Jughead. She wanted to be with a guy one last time is that so bad?" 

"It's bad, because she knows you, Reggie! You are the last person to be sleeping with her." Betty snapped. "She has months to choose which guy she wants to get into her pants. One preferably that isn't working for Hiram Lodge." 

"Look, whatever it happened. Get over it." Reggie said, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation. "She doesn't feel the same way for me that I do for her anyway." Betty cocked her head. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Betty asked. 

"She made it perfectly clear, that it is impossible for her to think of me more than a friend." Reggie admitted. He leaned against the car, and Betty watched him. It was silent for a few minutes. Betty hopped onto the car hood and sat on it beside Reggie. 

"I'm sorry." Betty mumbled. "I still think you both are idiots. But I'm sorry." Reggie shrugged. "It would have only complicated things, Reg. It's better this way, trust me." Betty said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I wish I could say that I understand, but unfortunately I've told the guy I'm sleeping with the exact same thing." Betty propped her chin on a fist. Reggie looked at her. 

"I have to ask." He said. 

"Hm?" Betty asked, looking at Reggie. 

"Why are you sleeping with him if that's the case?" 

"Because it's..." Betty let her mind wander off as she looked at Reggie. "Did Veronica take your virginity?" 

"No!" Reggie said quickly. Betty smirked and looked away. 

"Just making sure. Anyway... sex makes you go somewhere else." Betty explained. "I'm so sick of people being scared of me. I mean, it feels good. Really good. Sometimes I love it... but sometimes I think when people see me, they see my father. And Malachi doesn't see that. He's not scared of me. Trust me, I don't love him, or have feelings for him. But when we sleep together, I can let my mind go places, where I'm not a Ghoulie. Or I'm not stuck between this whole deal. Where I'm not Hal Cooper's daughter." Betty looked at Reggie, who had been listening intently. 

"I'm not scared of you." He mumbled. "Sometimes." He added. Betty smirked. "When you do scare me it's not because of him." 

"I think the people closest to me know I could never hurt them. And that scares me. I don't want people to see weaknesses. Even you. Or Veronica." Betty said slowly. "I don't want to be weak."

"You aren't weak." Reggie said pointedly. Betty nodded. 

"What's it like?" Betty asked. 

"Hm?" 

"To be intimate with someone who actually cares about you?" Betty said. Reggie grew silent. "That's alright. Keep it yourself. Maybe I'll learn one day." Betty hopped off the bar. "I hate deep conversations. They're pathetic. I'm hungry, so you are driving me to The Devil's Pit." Betty said, before turning her back to him. He just rolled his eyes, before pushing himself off the car. 

Jughead watched as Fangs walked around the table. He leaned his cue against the pool table and looked to where Toni was bartending. He wasn't paying attention to when Fangs finally made his move, and then looked at Jughead expectantly. Jughead was now looking across the bar at the entrance. Jellybean had just walked in, trying to look casual as she walked around the bar. 

"Jughead!" Fangs yelled over the music. Jughead looked over at him, and then grabbed his cue and walked to where Fangs was. "So what went down with blondie earlier? Seems like she doesn't like you very much." Jughead didn't look at Fangs as he aligned the cue with the white ball. 

"I don't like her." Jughead said, absent-mindedly. He winced at his own words. "I just said a few things that she didn't like." He added. Fangs smirked. 

"Oh yeah?" Jughead stood up straight and looked at Fangs. 

"I can't tell you. It would ruin the fun." Jughead then pressed the cue into his hand. "You win." He said, before walking away. Fangs glared at his back. 

Jughead remembered when he first saw Betty. He had gotten to the restaurant, and they had been seated at the same table as the Lodges. There was one specific girl missing to the party, but nobody really noticed until she showed up. When Jughead saw Veronica, it felt like Archie found her more attractive than he did. She was definitely attractive, but not Jughead's type at all. When he sat down, Veronica seemed to look at him with surprised, doe eyes. She looked disappointed when he only took her in, and then looked away absentmindedly. 

The whole night was ridiculous. That stupid suit was way too tight, in certain areas, and Jughead tried his best to drink until he wouldn't have to remember any of it. When he felt like he was being watched, he looked up and saw her. He saw her long, exposed legs first, and then her bright green eyes, staring directly at him, with what seemed like a look of complete panic. He raised an eyebrow, but when she saw him look at her she turned around quickly. 

Her body looked so small in the dress that may as well have been a second skin. He had been looking at her curves when Archie leaned over. 

"Stop it. You're drawing attention to yourself." He whispered in his ear. Jughead glared at him and then felt Fp stomp on his foot under the table. Jughead looked over at Fp, and let out a small, irritated groan before looking to see whatever the hell Hiram Lodge was talking about. In the corner of his eye, he could see the tall bodyguard, with his hand on her arm. He felt his gut clench the tiniest bit at the sight, but he kept his eyes on Hiram. 

He knew she had looked familiar, and later in the car when he asked Archie, Archie had explained who she was. Jughead had heard of her. Just stupid gossip from other Serpents in the bar. But it wasn't that. She _looked_ familiar. He realized earlier, in the present day, where he knew her from. He had a class with her. It was understandable that she didn't know or remember him. Because in school, Jughead _never_ talked, or made an attempt to be seen. 

He remembered, seeing her face in the school newspaper. She was the editor, and sometimes writer. He went to a couple of football games, but only because he was the school's photographer. She always stuck out the most. 

"Where did Jellybean go?" Jughead asked, looking at Toni behind the bar. Toni glared at him. 

"I'm not her keeper." Toni said. Jughead looked around the bar and found she was nowhere to be seen. 

"Relax. I think she's talking to your father." Toni said. Jughead knew Fp was drunk out of his mind, in his office. That was why Archie refused to let Betty see him. Hiram didn't need to know what a drunk Fp was. Jughead just nodded. 

"Whatever." He mumbled. He looked over his shoulder, before looking back at Toni. 

"She's going to be eighteen in a few months, Jughead. Stop hovering over her." She warned. Jughead rolled his eyes, and Toni glared at him. 

"Yeah. I said whatever. I'll see you tomorrow." He said. She nodded before Jughead walked away and out of the bar. 


	6. Devil's Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I unintentionally formed an unlikely friendship, but I'm not mad about it because it's kind of a vibe. The friendship is Reggie and Betty, for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about. Anyway, you can continue on with the chapter.

Betty stared at the wall, vaguely hearing the sounds of the clock ticking away the seconds, everything fading into the background. She could hear the sound of screaming somewhere. She looked around and realized nobody was screaming. It was just in her head. Betty looked over to a wall where a calendar was. Today was March thirtieth. Two days. April first. Two days. She could hear the faint sound of a gun going off, and wondered why nobody in the diner turned their heads. 

"Earth to Betty." The voice said across from her. Betty turned her head and looked over at Kevin. He was staring at her. Betty smiled, but it never reached her eyes. 

"Sorry." She said, picking up her fork. She couldn't stomach it to take another bite of those disgusting syrup-soaked pancakes that had begun to look very similar to someone's internal organs in her eyes. She only stabbed the fork into the softness of the pancake. "What were you saying?" She asked, in a hoarse voice. 

"It wasn't important." Kevin said softly. "Maybe we should leave. Take a road trip. We could take V and Cheryl. Girls trip. With me. Just for a few days, get out of this town." Betty looked up at him. They lived in Greendale, not Riverdale, but she understood. Even he knew they were too close. Currently, they were both sitting inside of Pops, leather jackets off, and unrecognizable. Well, Betty hoped anyway. She always kept an eye out for anybody who might recognize her from years before. 

"Kev, I can't run from my problems. It's just a stupid anniversary." Betty mumbled. 

"But it's more than that." Kevin said. Betty dropped her fork and looked out the window beside her. "We're just worried about you." 

"Talking shit, now?" Betty asked. 

"Betty, don't do that. Your wall stays down around me." Kevin warned. Betty glared at him from the corner of her eye. "When's the last time you got some sleep?" Betty rubbed at her eyes with her knuckles. Even he noticed the dark circles that began to form there. Suddenly there was the sound of a bell jingling, and the door opening, followed by chatter with familiar voices. Betty looked over her shoulder and then immediately turned back around when she saw Jughead and Toni. 

"Time to go." Betty mumbled, tossing a twenty-dollar bill on the table. She could practically smell that familiar aroma as he walked past her, oblivious. Kevin eyed him warily, even though he wouldn't have remembered Kevin. They both got out of their booth and walked toward the door, Kevin walking out first. Jughead caught sight of Betty as she began to walk out after Kevin. She looked over at him, watching her with resentful eyes. She wasn't in the mood to glare or scowl, so she did nothing as she walked out. 

In the car, Betty was slumped in her seat, her seatbelt not on, and staring out the window at the passing buildings, and people on sidewalks, walking their dogs. Kevin was getting on the freeway that lead to Greenville. 

"So." Kevin said. Betty didn't bother looking at him. 

"So?" 

"How's Malachi?" He asked, trying too hard to sound casual. Betty ignored him. "Betty-" 

"Seriously, Kevin. Shut up." Betty snapped. Kevin was unfazed. He was used to this. 

"I'm just curious." 

"And I told you and the other vultures to leave it alone." Betty said coldly. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the windshield. Kevin didn't press the issue any longer. He let out a sigh. 

"How's Charlie?" 

"Fine." 

"Does he... talk about your mom?" Kevin hesitated. Betty was silent for a moment. 

"He knows I don't want to hear it." Betty said softly. Kevin nodded. 

"I think Hiram's going to send you out of town again." Kevin said. Betty knew something had been weighing on his chest all morning. Betty let out a sigh. 

"What did I tell you about listening in on conversations you aren't supposed to hear?" Betty said, glaring at her friend. He gave her an apologetic look. She hoped that he knew she only scolded him for these things because she deeply cared about him. Yet, she would never say those words out loud. "Well, what _did_ you hear?" 

"There's something going on, with some shady people in the city." Kevin said. _New York City._

She had been sent out there a few times over the past couple of years. Hiram did shady business. Betty learned quickly it was best never to ask about it. But if he asked, she gave. One time she took Malachi with her, back when they were friends and only friends. It was a fun weekend until the day came that she had to bring a certain man back to Greendale, so Hiram could decide what to do with him. Or her. But it was always him. Sometimes it was easy getting them back, and sometimes it was hard. She had to get her hands dirty. 

"Hm." Betty mused. 

"I mean, that's good, right? You love it there." 

"Yeah, hopefully, I get to roofie some poor guy so I can drag him back to a town two-hundred and fifty miles away." Betty retorted. "Why doesn't he just move back there so it would be easier?" 

"Veronica would go with him." Kevin reminded Betty. Betty looked down at her fingers, sticking out of her black gloves. 

"Yeah, so would I." She muttered. Kevin knew better than to comment on that. 

"Maybe Reggie will go with you this time." Kevin mused. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"Just what I need. More downtime with Hiram's _spy._ " 

"Or Jughead." Kevin said, his voice barely a whisper. Betty whipped her head towards Kevin. 

"Excuse me?" 

"I think the Serpents are involved this time." 

"What?" 

"I heard Fp Jones's name. I also know, that when the Serpents have similar problems to ours, Jughead deals with it. This is a good thing, in my opinion. You can learn more about him. For Veronica." 

"She should be doing that herself- how do you know Jughead deals with... their liabilities?" Betty asked. Kevin looked over at her, and then back at the road. He opened his mouth, but Betty quickly shook her head. "Don't tell me." She said abruptly. "Don't." She looked away from him. 

"Betty..." 

"I mean it." She growled. "Don't tell me." If he told her, she would know. And she might let it slip around Reggie or Hiram, or even Veronica. She wouldn't do that to him. So she didn't want to know. Kevin grew silent. The rest of the drive was silent. Betty got out of his car when he stopped a few feet away from her trailer. "I'll see you later." She mumbled, before shutting the door behind her. Kevin said nothing in response. She heard the car drive away behind her. 

She walked up the steps to her trailer, and then walked in, locking the door behind her and heading straight to her bedroom. She collapsed onto the bed, and threw the blankets over her body, shutting her eyes. It was dead silent for a few seconds, and when she realized she felt more weight on the other side of the bed, she opened her eyes. 

"What's up?" Malachi said, his hands crossed behind his head, laying there. Betty jumped up off the bed and made a small sound. 

"I'm going to kill you." She said, her tone murderous. She didn't see him at first, because the blankets had been covering his face. He hopped out of the bed, fully clothed in his black clothing, wearing his silver sparkling bands on his wrists, and a silver chain around his neck. 

"You can do that later because we're doing target practice today." He said. Betty was looking at the doorway. 

"Where can I find a locksmith?" She muttered, sarcastically. 

"Funny. Let's go." He grabbed her arm, and she ripped her grip away from him. 

"I said no target practice." She seethed. 

"Uh, when's the last time you held a gun? Since you were sixteen? Let's fix that. It definitely helps with all that built-up trauma." He said, grinning. Betty glared at him. 

"Man the wolves are going to have a treat tonight." She said, referring to her previous threat. "I said, _no_." He stood there, staring at her, his arms crossed over his chest. He finally shrugged, dropping his arms. 

"Alright." He said. Betty felt herself relax, but when he started moving towards her, her guard shot back up. 

"What are you doing? Kai-" She gasped when he bent down and grabbed her legs, throwing her over his shoulder. She immediately began kicking and pounding on his back. "Put me down! Put me down right now!" She yelled. He carelessly began whistling as he carried her through the trailer, outside. "Malachi!" She yelled.

He just went outside, and opened the door to his car, putting her in the passenger's seat. He shut the door and then locked the car. She stared at him through the window, eyes wide and angry. He grinned at her before walking to the other side. He put his key in the door, and unlocked it so he could get in, and shut it behind him. 

"I hate you." She spat, sulking. He only started the engine, ignoring her pouting. 

"You love me." 

"I hate you." She said, firmer. "I'm never having sex with you again." He slightly winced. 

"Alright, that one hurt." He said, and she rolled her eyes. 

"Fuck you." She scowled, looking away from him. He began driving, pulling onto the road. "Where are we even going?" 

"Sweet water River." He said, keeping one hand on the steering wheel, and the other resting on the stick shift. 

"Why do you need target practice, anyway? I can't imagine how many people you've shot." 

"Oh, I don't need target practice. You stand correct, I'm great. It's you who needs it. I don't like you only carrying those knives when you're going to Serpent territory, and things are getting intense." He said. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"Careful. It almost sounded like you care about my well being." Betty said. But she looked at Malachi, and his jaw was set tight. She scrunched her nose and looked out her window. "Emotions are not a look on you, Kai." 

"Mhm." Was all he said. "I'm serious. About the gun thing." 

"I don't need a gun." Betty said, exasperated. 

"Fine, but if you're ever in a situation where it might be the only defense mechanism you have, what are you going to do? You can't hesitate, Betty." He said. Betty propped her chin on a fist. Malachi was probably one of the very few people who actually knew of her fear of ever shooting a gun. Even Veronica didn't know. 

"You could have waited until after the first." Betty mumbled. 

"I should have waited until the first." He said, making Betty go rigid. 

"I would have killed you." Betty said flatly. He looked at her with a look that said he wouldn't put it past her. 

They bad both been walking through the woods to the river, ten minutes later, with Malachi's car parked on the side of the road. Betty had been doing most of the talking, following Malachi as they walked. 

"You're running out of adjectives." He said, in front of her. 

"Arrogant. Stupid. Illiterate." Betty said. "You can't take no for an answer. Stubborn." 

"I think stupid and illiterate fall under the same category." He said. 

"Unfunny." Betty said, a little louder. He suddenly stopped walking, and Betty hadn't noticed, as she looked at her feet. "You know, you really can't just-" Suddenly Malachi grabbed her, shoving her up against a tree, and putting his hand over her mouth. Her eyes filled with fury as she began to pound on him, but he was looking past her, a hard look on his face. He looked at Betty and took his hand off her mouth. She opened her mouth to start yelling at him, but he pressed a finger to his lips. That was when she realized. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Archie's voice asked from behind her. Malachi was listening hard. Betty peered from behind the tree. There, standing on the shore of the river, stood Jughead, Sweet Pea, and Archie. Jughead had an empty bag like he just dumped something in the river. 

"Yes." Jughead said firmly. 

"I think the ocean would have been better." 

"I'm not driving five hours. This is fine." Jughead said, walking back to their car. Sweet Pea was leaning against the hood, hands in his pockets. 

"What if someone finds it?" He asked although he didn't sound worried. He looked more serious than the other times Betty had seen him. 

"It won't be anywhere close to Riverdale, if they do." Jughead said, opening the door to the Driver's side. "Let's go."

Archie and Sweet Pea exchanged a look before Archie got in the passenger's seat, and Sweet Pea got in the back. When they heard the engine start and the car drive away, they just stood there silently. Only when they didn't hear the car anymore did they speak. 

"What was that?" Betty asked. 

"Come on." Malachi said, turning around. 

"I thought we were doing target practice." 

"You got lucky. Some other time. I have to do something." He said, walking away from her. She rolled her eyes and then followed him. 

"Are you going to tell Hiram?" 

"I'm not telling that bastard anything." Malachi muttered. Betty stared at the back of his head incredulously. 

"Kai, we should tell Hiram. That could be about us. The Ghoulies." 

"I'll take care of it." 

"What do you mean you'll take care of it? They _dumped_ something in the river. What if it was-"

"I said I'll take care of it." Malachi said, turning back around. "I'm going to tell somebody but not Hiram. He shouldn't even be leading the Ghoulies." Malachi's words were empty and cold. Betty stared at him. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"Nothing." He finally muttered. "Never mind." He turned back around and continued to walk. 

"No, you don't just say something like that, and then drop it. What are you saying, Malachi?" 

"Nothing, Betty. Just let me deal with this." 

"But Hiram-" 

"But Hiram nothing!" He snapped. "It's fine." Betty glared at him dangerously, as if she would gut him right there and then. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. He knew he was playing a dangerous game. "Come on. I have to talk to someone and then I'm taking you home." He muttered, continuing to walk back to the road. Betty curled her fingers into a fist, so tight her knuckles turned white, before following him. 

They drove for half an hour before Malachi pulled into the parking lot of a trashy, abandoned-looking apartment building. Despite how vacated and old it looked, cars were in the parking lot, and Betty saw a young, hunched over man walk out of the building, fumbling with his keys, his bloodshot eyes looking down at his hands. 

"Stay in the car." Malachi said, not waiting for a response from her before getting out of the car and slamming the door shut behind him. 

"Happily." Betty muttered, leaning an elbow on the window and resting her fingers on her temple in annoyance.

She sat there, impatiently, for another thirty-five minutes, before Malachi walked out of the building, a woman behind him. She stopped, one hand holding the door open, and the other limp by her side. She didn't look like the defeated young man who had walked out when they first got there. Betty recognized this woman immediately. She was in her early thirties, green eyes, blonde hair with bangs that nearly reached her eyes. Betty felt her blood boil and rage consume her. She swore she was going to _murder_ , Malachi. He said something, earning an approving nod from her before she turned and went back inside. Betty waited until he was back in the car and the door was shut to explode. 

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" She yelled. Malachi remained unfazed. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her. 

"Problem?" 

"What the fuck are you doing, meeting up with Penny Peabody? I swear to god, I could rip your head off right now!" Betty almost screamed in anger. Malachi looked amused. 

"Are you jealous?" 

"Oh you are really asking for it." 

"It's fine, Betty." 

"Hiram is going to _kill_ you if he finds out-" 

"He's not going to find out." Malachi said abruptly. "Because you're not going to tell him. Right?" Betty suddenly froze, gaping at him. His face had gone cold, all amusement drained. He was staring at Betty, his head cocked to the side. His tone almost sounded... threatening. 

"Are you threatening me?" Betty asked. He smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes. 

"Of course not." He simply said, turning towards the wheel and starting the engine. "I know my girl would never snitch on me." Betty looked out the windshield, towards the apartment building. "You're smarter than that." He sighed out, pulling out of the small area. Betty continued to stare out the windshield, speechless. 

Penny Peabody, had been a Serpent. And then a Ghoulie. And then after attempting to turn the Ghoulies against Hiram, he kicked her out, dropping her off in the middle of nowhere to die. Nobody ever knew if she actually died or not. Betty herself had made Penny scream, and beg, before then. Betty had merely been seventeen. It was the first time she had ever... Tortured somebody like that. She vomited afterward and screamed until her throat felt raw. Nobody had been around to see it.

The reason she accepted Hiram's offer when he asked her to do those things to Penny, was because she thought she would like it. She thought she would enjoy hurting somebody who deserved it. She often dreamed of hurting her own father, making him pay for the awful things he had done. The part that scared her the most was, deep down inside, she did enjoy hurting Penny. It made her feel powerful. And she hated it. 

She knew a Serpent had been the one to skin off Penny's Serpent tattoo, and then leave her in the dirt to bleed. She admired whoever it was, although nobody knew who the culprit was. Penny didn't dare use names in her tales. Betty had gotten into a few bar fights with Penny before. Penny usually won them, with Betty only being a teenager. She supposed Penny was the most feared Ghoulie back then. Not Betty. 

"I won't tell." Betty finally whispered, filling the silence. They had been driving back home for fifteen minutes. Malachi looked over at her and grinned. 

"I know." He said softly. Betty looked at him.

She didn't want to ask what they had talked about. What they _talked_ about, if this was a frequent thing. She didn't want to know. Staring at him now, she almost admired him. She became blind to everything wrong with this situation. She became blind to every red flag. She just stared at him in awe. She didn't see what everybody else saw in him. What her friends saw in him. How really dangerous he was. When he dropped her off at her trailer, she smiled at him. 

"I'll see you later." She said. He nodded absentmindedly as if lost in thought.

Betty opened her door and slid off her seat, shutting the door behind her. In the corner of her eye, she could see Cheryl, walking towards her trailer. She stopped in her tracks and stared at Malachi through his windshield until his car disappeared. Betty smiled at Cheryl, and Cheryl grew pale. 

"Why are you smiling like that?" She asked. Betty shrugged. 

"I can't smile?" Betty asked. Cheryl looked back to the place where Malachi's car had been and back at Betty. 

"Are you okay?" Cheryl asked. Betty furrowed her eyebrows. 

"Why wouldn't I be?" 

Cheryl shook her head slowly. She looked worried. Betty felt puzzled. She said, "Just be careful, Betty. Okay?" Betty only nodded, and Cheryl gave her a small smile before walking away. Betty stared at the distance, confused. She shook her head and tried to push past the fact Cheryl Blossom didn't insult her. 

Later that day, Betty lay on Veronica's bed, her head leaning off the edge, staring at Veronica's dresser, upside down in her eyes. Veronica had summoned her for yet, another night of festivities with The Serpents. The two gangs were coming together that night, mostly so Fp and Hiram could discuss matters but also so Veronica and Jughead could bond. 

"How about this?" Veronica said, holding up a dress. Betty looked at it. 

"Too much cleavage. It might make him uncomfortable." Betty muttered. Veronica frowned. 

"He's a guy." 

"Yeah, he's a man, not a teenager." Betty said. Veronica glared at her. "Look, you have great boobs, I'm just saying that he might think you're coming off too... Sudden." Betty explained. Veronica nodded. 

"Fair enough." She said, plucking out another dress. "What are you wearing?" 

"This." 

Veronica gaped at Betty. "Uh, no. No, you are not. I refuse." 

"V, I'm not in the mood to argue. I'm wearing this." Betty said stubbornly. Veronica didn't find it in her to press the subject harder. Betty felt comfortable wearing her tight black jeans and a leather jacket. She only nodded. The room filled with silence, except the scraping of hangers as Veronica, sifted through her dresses. "I want to be with Malachi," Betty said, making Veronica freeze and go rigid. 

He had trusted her. Betty's mind had completely blocked out his threatening tone, the sketchiness of what he was doing. Instead, she focused on how he trusted her not to tell Hiram anything. How he took her with him to talk to Penny Peabody. Betty wasn't a stupid girl. She wasn't weak. She was the opposite of those things. But something snapped in her mind, as if protecting her from yet, another person in her life, pretending to be something they're not. 

"What?" Veronica finally managed, turning around. Her skin had paled. "I thought-I thought you two were just sleeping together." 

"Yeah, but, maybe I'm bored of playing with his emotions." 

"You'll get bored of a relationship." Veronica said flatly. Betty shrugged. 

"I haven't had one since I was sixteen. If I want to start one with anyone, it should be him." 

"I don't think-" Veronica began, but Betty looked at her, sitting up. "Okay. Whatever you want." Veronica said quietly, giving Betty a weak smile before turning back around. "You're smart, you can make your own decisions." Betty didn't bother lashing out and asking what _that_ was supposed to mean. "I'm just going to get changed, and then we can grab Reggie and meet my dad there." She muttered, leaving the room before Betty could say another thing. 

One of the clubs Hiram owned, had been vaguely crowded that night. Veronica, Reggie, and herself had walked in together. Cheryl came up to Veronica immediately, wearing a revealing red dress that stopped mid-thigh. Betty had been disinterested. They had smiled at each other and began talking immediately. Betty looked around, taking in the place. She had been to many of Hiram's clubs, but not this one. Loud music blared, and people sat at tables, talking, and laughing. Mostly men and women, dangerously close. Reggie turned to Betty. 

"What do you-" Before he could finish his sentence, Betty walked away, walking up to the bar. She immediately took a seat and looked at the bartender. She ordered a drink, and sat down on a stool, glad Reggie hadn't followed her to the bar.

She turned in her seat and saw Hiram at a table with Fp Jones. Both looking serious. So the Serpents were already here. Speaking of the devil himself-

"Fancy seeing you here." He said, his voice sounding from directly next to her. Betty continued to stare out at the room, before turning her head to look at him. Jughead sat there, a glassful of what she assumed was whiskey on the bar in front of him. She looked him up and down in disgust before looking away. 

"Are you drunk yet?" Betty asked, without looking at him. 

"I just got here. Hopefully soon, though." He too hadn't bothered dressing up. 

"Shouldn't you be talking to... I don't know, your fiancé, or something like that?" 

"Hm." Jughead mused, looking to where Veronica, Cheryl, and Kevin all giggled as if sharing some horrible secret. Betty almost felt bad for Jughead. Almost. She hated herself for even thinking that. She loved Veronica. 

"Where are your dogs?" Betty asked, looking at him. He looked around. 

"Oh, you know." He said. "Here and there." He looked at Betty, his eyes meeting hers.

He opened his mouth to say something, but it shut immediately and his gaze went to behind Betty, his stare getting colder and colder. Fury raged in his eyes. Betty raised an eyebrow and turned to look behind her. Malachi had just walked in, surrounded by his cronies smirking at them. His eyes landed on Jughead, and he waved a taunting gesture. Betty turned to look back at Jughead, his eyebrows lowered. 

"Do you know him?" Betty asked, her heart beginning to beat faster. Jughead's eyes drifted back to Betty and his face softened the slightest bit. His guard remained up. 

"Malachi?" He grumbled. It was as if he remembered they were affiliated with the same group of people because the fury returned to his eyes as he looked at Betty. "Of course I know who Malachi is." He spat. Betty almost flinched. "Do me a favor. Keep that fucker away from my Serpents." He suddenly stood up and stalked off. Betty sat there, shocked. She looked back over to Malachi, who was grinning at her. Betty quickly looked away. 

Jughead eventually came back, looking refreshed and calmer than before. Archie had been at his side. Betty observed as Jughead looked across the room at Veronica, and back at Archie. Archie nodded his encouragement, and Jughead glared at him grudgingly. As if putting a mask on, he made his glare disappear, and then they both walked over. Betty snorted. She noticed the other Serpents join the party. Pink streaks, Sweet Pea, Fangs, and the most surprising of all, Jellybean. Betty wondered how she even got into the club. 

Pink looked over at Betty, and then looked away, as if she was irrelevant. Oh yes, Betty would definitely have a problem with her. Before she could stalk over and pick a fight, Reggie was there. 

"Easy." He said as if taming an animal. "You have that look on your face." 

"What look?" Betty sniped. 

"Instant kill look." He said, earning a hard shove from Betty. He managed to crack a smile. 

"Hiram'll kill you if you murder anyone tonight. Do it in private." 

"That wasn't very Reggie of you." Betty murmured. He only nodded silently. Betty watched as Jughead smiled, before laughing lightly at something Veronica had said. They were alone now. Reggie saw it too. He looked pale. Betty looked at him and then bounced her knee back and forth, trying to say something that a normal person would say to comfort a friend. She was not a normal person. "They're getting along," Betty said, wincing at her own words. Not helping. Reggie nodded. 

"Good." Was all he said. Betty felt guilt punch her in the gut. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

"Let's have fun tonight." Betty said, nudging him with her elbow. "I wanna celebrate actually." 

"Celebrate what?" Reggie asked, with raised eyebrows. 

"My commitment. I'm committing." Betty confessed. Recognition crossed Reggie's facial features. "Veronica told you." 

"Of course she did." 

"Do friends actually stay friends after sex? That's a thing? I thought that only happened in the movies. Seriously, I can't imagine fucking you and then continuing to talk to you like this. Granted, I would never fuck you." 

"Thank you, for that unwanted input." Reggie sighed out. 

"You're very welcome." Betty said, smiling. 

"You managed to fuck Malachi and remain friends. For a while." 

"Not for long." Betty said, raising an eyebrow. Reggie did his best to hide his judgment, Betty gave him credit for that. But it was still noticeable. 

The night drew on, and Betty grew bored. She just wanted to leave, but it looked like Veronica was nowhere close to being ready to leave. Eventually, Jughead walked away, after ending their conversation. It was Archie she was talking to now. She was laughing a lot while she talked to him, and Betty got second-hand embarrassment. They looked too comfortable with each other. Although, it could have been the alcohol. 

Betty looked over to see Pink, talking to Cheryl. It didn't look pleasant. Cheryl looked venomous, and Pink looked like she was winning an argument. Betty stilled for a second, observing. Cheryl said something Betty couldn't hear over the music, and this resulted in Toni picking up a glass of liquor, slowly, and splashing it on Cheryl. Cheryl let out a surprised gasp, and Betty stood up, walking over immediately. 

"Hey. What the hell?" Betty snapped. Pink looked at her, looking her up and down, before smirking. 

"Aw. Your mom came to the rescue." Pink said, looking to Cheryl, who looked like she was going to grow claws and scratch Pink's eyes out. 

"Toni, come on." Fangs said from next to her. Toni. Betty mulled on that name. 

"Tell me what she did that was so bad you had to go and do something stupid like that." Betty said, her voice threatening. Cheryl glared at Betty. A look that said, "I don't need you to fight my battles for me." Betty ignored it. 

"Just keep your fucking friends on a leash." Toni hissed, dodging Betty's question. Betty got closer, towering over the petite woman. 

"Don't throw shit on _my_ friends." Betty seethed. Toni didn't flinch. 

"You're next." Toni said. People were beginning to look at them, and the music began to quiet. Betty smiled, nodding slowly. She looked over at the small table, looking at the empty beer bottle sitting there. She slowly picked it up, examining it. Then, she flipped it and smashed it against the table. Cheryl's eyes widened, and Toni knitted her eyebrows together. Betty got close and held the sharp edges up to Toni's face. 

"Am I next now?" Betty asked, raising her voice. 

"Betty." Hiram's voice boomed from across the room. Betty ignored him. 

"Am I next now?" Betty yelled. Toni didn't flinch, her nostrils flaring. Suddenly, a man's hand flung Toni back, getting in front of her. 

"Get away from her." Jughead snapped, getting too close to Betty, ignoring the weapon she held. Betty glared through her lashes up at him. 

"What are you going to do?" Betty challenged. 

"Put the bottle down, psycho." Jughead growled. Betty stared up at him, unmoving. She knew Reggie stood a few feet away, scared if he came anywhere close to her she would use the bottle. In the corner of her eyes, Cheryl was looking between Betty and Jughead, unsure how to react. Betty scoffed, before taking a step back and dropping the bottle, letting it shatter. _psycho_. That word replayed over and over again in her head, although she didn't let it show. Jughead continued to glare at her murderously, standing his ground in front of Toni. 

Betty turned around, walking to the end of the bar. Everyone watched her. She walked directly to Malachi, who had been smiling as if he was proud of her. She smiled at him, getting on her tip-toes and kissing his mouth roughly. He kissed her back without hesitation. The room was silent. Everyone was uncomfortable. Even Hiram didn't know what to do. He was likely planning Betty's murder in his head. When Betty pulled away, she looked back at Jughead. 

Jughead had paled, and his murderous glare was gone. He was looking between her and Malachi. He was surprised. Shocked. Betty and Malachi. Malachi and Betty. The pieces in his head formed.

"Let's go." Betty said, taking Malachi's hand in hers, and leading him out of the club. Leaving the stunned crowd. 


	7. The Punishment

Betty lay in bed that night, naked and exposed. Next to Malachi. She stared hard at the ceiling, contemplating the consequences of her actions. Hiram would have some. She would be punished. She remembered holding that broken bottle up to Toni's face. Guilt. That's what curled itself around her gut. She looked over to her right. Malachi was asleep, or so it looked like it. His eyes were closed, his chest rising up and down slowly. The blankets covered the bottom half of him. 

Betty swallowed hard, looking back at the ceiling. He had been proud of her. In the car, he told her how right she was, how she should have gutted "that stupid prick." Betty didn't dare ask what history he and Jughead had. Not yet. Why they hated each other so much. Betty let out a sigh, and moved closer to him, draping an arm across his torso and resting her head on his shoulder. He let out a groan and started to move. 

"Come on, Betty. It's hot." He muttered, half asleep. He turned the other way, facing away from her. Betty recoiled, going back to her side of the bed. When they fucked, an hour earlier, she didn't feel this way. She felt triumph. Now she felt like throwing her guts up. Sleep didn't find her for a long time. 

She jolted awake to the sound of a door slamming open. It took a minute for her vision to clear, and for her to process where she was. She turned her head to see that Malachi was gone. She let out a sharp gasp and pressed her palms to the mattress behind her as her bedroom door slammed open. Reggie walked in. 

"What the hell?" Betty yelled. His nostrils flared. 

"Get up." He said firmly. She stared at him incredulously. 

"No." She said, staring him down. 

"Get up." He repeated. 

"No, get the fuck out of my house." She said, covering herself. 

"If you aren't dressed the next time I come in here, I'm putting you in the trunk." He said, before leaving. Betty stared at the open doorway, contemplating the last sixty seconds.

She got dressed, and went outside, only to find Reggie, sulking in his car. She stepped down the steps, taking her time as she opened the door to the passenger's side, and climbed in. He didn't wait for her to buckle her seatbelt before driving away. He wouldn't talk to her, no matter how hard she tried. 

"Reggie, at least tell me how bad it is." Betty tried. He ignored her, staring straight ahead. "Are you going to ignore me forever?" No answer. Betty looked at her lap. Veronica must have been mad at her too. They all were. "Does she hate me?" Betty whispered. She didn't think Reggie was going to answer her. 

"No." He murmured. That was all she was going to get. He pulled up to the mansion and put the car in park. He wouldn't say anything to Betty as she got out. 

She walked down the hall of the large house, towards his study. Her heart, best in her chest. Would he get somebody else to beat her? That was her job. But she had never been in a position where she had to be the one to be punished. Not like this. She wondered if he would leave her out on the side of the road, like the others. And Reggie would let him do it. Reggie was going to let him toss her on the side of the road and never come back-

Betty slowly brought a curled hand up to the door, curling her fingers into a fist. She cleared her throat, and then knocked on the door, feeling her knuckles against the wood. She waited a beat before hearing his deep, ominous voice. 

"Come in." He said from behind the door. She curled her hand around the handle and opened the door, taking in the area before her. Hiram sat, behind his desk in a chair. He dropped his pen and looked up at her. "Close the door behind you." She obeyed his command, before walking over and sitting down in the chair on the other side of his desk. It was silent for a couple of minutes. Unbearably silent. 

"I-" Betty began, but was cut off. 

"I assume you know why you're here." He said calmly. Too calm. She preferred he yelled. Hit her, even. Although, she had never known Hiram to be the violent type. At least, not up close. "Because of that shit show last night. That stunt. That oh, so stupid stunt." He spat, his words becoming harder. 

"Hiram-" 

"Do not." He said, looking at her from beneath his brows. "Interrupt me." Betty closed her mouth, sitting on her hands, shoving them under her thighs. She wasn't afraid. But she had also never seen Hiram this mad. He was simmering. She had broken rules, laws, yelled at him, got on every last one of his nerves, interrupted business meetings. And he had never once been this mad about it. Betty waited for him to continue. 

"Fp wasn't happy. I'm not happy. Jughead certainly was not _happy_. The man who is supposed to marry my daughter probably is getting off to the thought of your death right now." He said harshly. Betty couldn't help the wince that crossed her face, at his crude words. "Are you proud of yourself? For first, threatening someone, who is supposed to be one of our allies, and then shoving your tongue down that disgusting-" 

"I get it." Betty said firmly. She removed her hands from underneath her thighs and folded them together, her confidence coming back. She got ahold of herself. She stared darkly at Hiram. It wasn't wise to cut him off again, interrupt him. But she had heard enough. "I'm well aware of what I did. Okay? I know I fucked up. I had a bad night, okay? I know it was no excuse, but I will not sit here while you insult me. Why don't you tell me what you're going to do. Going to cut my hands off? What?" Betty spat that last word out.

A muscle in Hiram's jaw feathered, as he stared at her, unmoving. He looked like an image on tv, paused. He was so still. Betty wouldn't put it past him if he pulled a gun out of his desk right there and then and put a bullet in her head. 

"When you smashed that bottle..." He began. "When you pointed those sharp ends at her face. You looked like him." Betty's game face fell. He didn't have to say his name. She knew who he was talking about. "I made a promise to him." 

"I don't want to hear it." 

"I made a promise to him." Hiram repeated. "That I would protection." Betty couldn't help but scoff at that and roll her eyes. 

"Oh, please." She spat. "While I was fifteen fucking years old, still cheering for my high school's football team, and wearing pink, he was over here, killing people. Hurting people. Doing drugs, selling drugs. Working for _you_. I guess it wasn't enough, huh? Because then he had to start killing my _classmates_." 

"Betty." Hiram warned. 

"What? Am I wrong? Don't go talking about promises you made to my psychopath of a-" 

"You gave up your life the day you came to me on your knees, _begging_ me to take you into this... organization." _Gang._ "And your father's reputation is what kept the other Ghoulies from ripping you to shreds. Your relationship with Veronica is what kept everyone from tearing you apart." He snapped.

Betty looked away, remembering every second, of the day she came to Greendale. The way she looked Hiram in the eyes and asked him to make sure she never had to see her mother, or sister's face ever again. She even had a marking on her body. Her tattoo, on her ribs, under her right breast. Her signature to the contract that would consume the rest of her life. She fought the stinging in her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. 

"My punishment for last night?" She asked, her voice sounding more pathetic than she would like. She scrambled to bring her guard back up. He stared at her thoughtfully. 

"You're going to plan my daughter's wedding." He said simply. The weight of his words took many seconds to process, and then they slammed into her, mentally knocking her on her ass. It was the words itself, and the fact he didn't say that she would be beaten by one of his men. 

"What?" 

"I will give you a solid date once it's confirmed. But you will pick the venue, you will take care of the costs. I will give you a budget and a card, of course. You will do everything a wedding planner would do. And in some traditions, what a Maid of Honor would do." He said. Betty stared at him, dumbfounded. 

"You want _me_ to plan a wedding?" Betty asked. He nodded, looking rather amused. "Hiram, I hate dresses. I hate parties. I hate the idea of being in an area full of lots of people. I'm probably the darkest person you'll ever meet- do you see where I'm going with this? I don't plan weddings." 

"Oh but, you're going to start." He said. Betty stared at him. 

"Anything but this. Please. I can't. Hiram-" 

"It's not up for negotiation." Hiram said, cutting her off abruptly. She sat there, looking doe-eyed at him. He let out a sigh, and picked up a folder, opening it. "Get out." Without hesitation, she stood up, the chair scraping on the floor as she did so, and walked towards the door. "One more thing." He called. Betty looked over her shoulder at him. 

"What?" 

"Apologize. Today." 

Betty parked her car on the outskirts of the trailer park, turning off the engine and slumping in her seat. Apologize, he said. She wasn't sure who she should even apologize to. Jughead, or Toni. Or all the Serpents together. She wasn't even sure where to find Toni. Or if Toni was her real name. She shook her head. Ridiculous. She could count the times she had apologized on her fingers. She wasn't one to say she was sorry. And if she did, she never meant it. 

She looked at some people, walking around in their leather jackets. Betty wore her own on her back. She looked away from her windshield. She still hadn't talked to Veronica. And Veronica had made no attempts to call or text. Neither did Reggie. Or Cheryl, or even Kevin. And definitely not Malachi. Betty rolled her eyes, before opening her door, hopping out of the car and slamming the door shut behind her. 

Her boots knocked up dirt and sent it flying around her ankles as she walked across the trailer park. She saw no familiar faces, but she found herself walking towards the only familiar trailer. A stranger's trailer. A stranger. She walked up the steps, and hesitated, before knocking on the door. She pushed her shoulders back, and put her poker face on, pressing her lips together, and crossing her arms over her chest. 

She heard the sounds of footsteps, getting closer. For a second she wondered if Jellybean would answer the door. Or if she would be at school. School. It sounded ridiculous. The sound of the door unlocking sounded and then it opened. Jughead stood there, looking down at Betty, wearing a plain white t-shirt. His face hardened when he saw her. She looked up at him through lowered eyebrows. 

"Hey." She said. 

"Hi." He said back. It was silent between them for another minute, while Betty formulated what to say in her head. She hadn't planned this far. He only stared at her, not bothering to say anything. Waiting patiently, with that hard look on his face. 

"Are you hungry?" Betty asked. 

That was how, they both ended up at Pop's, ten minutes later, sitting in those brightly colored red booths. Betty had taken her jacket off in his car and left it there. The car ride had been weird. Awkward. Every time Betty tried to speak, he would turn the volume up on the radio to a deafening level. Now, Jughead looked absentmindedly out the window, looking bored. 

"So um." Betty began. Jughead's green eyes shifted over to her. She felt exposed without her leather jacket and dark makeup. She was wearing a plain black tank-top and black leggings on the bottom. Her blonde hair had merely been brushed that morning before getting in Reggie's car. She hadn't curled it, or styled it, or even straightened it. So it sat, in slightly wavy strands down her shoulders. She looked normal. Not like a dangerous gang member. Jughead must have seen it too because the hardness in his face wavered and he almost looked at Betty with a softness in his eyes. 

"What?" He finally snapped. Betty bit the inside of her cheek. 

"Last night was fucked up." 

"Yeah." He said. "It was. You almost stabbed my friend." 

"I wouldn't have actually done it." 

"Wouldn't you have?" He shot back, making her go silent. "That's what you do, isn't it? I know exactly who you are, don't pretend like you wouldn't have gutted her." Betty looked away from him, out the window beside their booth. He didn't regret a word. 

"I'm sorry." She finally whispered, wincing. "I am. Okay, it was stupid and unnecessary. When she... When she spilled that drink on Cheryl, something in me snapped." Betty met his eyes. "I was protecting her." And she meant every word. Jughead's features softened, and his glare dissipated. "And I went too far." She finished.

Jughead was silent for a moment. So overwhelmingly silent. Betty felt like he could read her mind as he stared at her. He opened his mouth to say something, when he was interrupted by a big man in a uniform, that looked vaguely familiar to Betty, bringing over a plate. Jughead grinned when he saw him, his arm draped over the back of the booth. 

"Thanks Pop." He said as he set down the plate in front of Jughead. A cheeseburger and fries. Jughead didn't even order anything. Betty looked sideways at the big man. Pop. As in-

"No problem." He said, and then glanced at Betty before smiling warmly at her. "Who's this?" 

"She's just a friend." Jughead mumbled, looking at her as if he forgot about her completely. Betty had to bite her tongue to keep from glaring at him. Pop nodded, before leaving them to it. Jughead took a single fry from his plate and popped it into his mouth. 

"Pop?" She asked. 

"You've been here before. In fact, you used to come here every day." Jughead winced at his words as if he regretted saying them instantly. Betty didn't call him out on them. 

"I know it's just... Been so long. He doesn't remember me." She mused. She supposed she looked a lot different from the years before. She wasn't as skinny-her body-baring more muscle from years of fights and doing Hiram's dirty work, there was no cheer uniform, and no ponytail to give her headaches from being so tight. Jughead shrugged. 

"Um, so what are your thoughts, on my... Apology." 

"Your conclusion could have been better." He said, earning an eye roll from Betty. "Your thesis-" He stopped talking at the glare Betty was giving him and grinned. "I get it. The need to protect. If Cheryl had threatened Toni in any way I probably would have reacted the same way. I mean, you saw how I reacted when I saw that bottle." He shrugged. 

"How long have you been doing it?" Betty asked. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Leading the Serpents. Doing your father's job." Jughead propped his chin on a fist, looking at Betty thoughtfully. 

"It's that obvious?"

"I won't... I won't tell Hiram." She said quietly. He continued to stare at her. She felt a shiver go down her spine and forced herself to look away. She could see the corner of his lips tug up at that. 

"He's usually too drunk to do anything. He only sobers up when he has to talk to Hiram." Jughead mused. Betty nodded. 

"The way you look at them... the way you talk to them and walk, and-" She looked at him. "It's written all over your face. You're already leading them." He looked amused. 

"You're an observer." He said. Betty almost winced at that. "You look-" He stopped himself, looking her up and down. "You look younger when you're not trying so hard to prove to everyone you can take care of yourself." Betty scowled, throwing her guard back up. 

"I _can_ take care of myself." She snapped. 

"I never said you couldn't." He said softly. He again looked at her outfit and hair, before smiling and looking out the window. "It's almost as if you took your scary mask off." 

"I have no mask." 

"Keep telling yourself that." He straightened his back in his seat, and Betty realized how tall he really was when he wasn't slumped over. 

"Are you and Toni..." She let her voice trail off. "I mean, were you- before-" Jughead began laughing lightly, and Betty felt her face heat, slightly. "What?" 

"No." Was all he said. "Toni and I are not together." It seemed like there was more to those words, as he looked away as if remembering a memory, but he wasn't going to tell her. Not today. "Toni... likes girls. I mean, she likes some guys. Named Jughead to be specific. She loves me. How could she not? Look at me." He smiled at Betty, who cringed and rolled her eyes. His face became serious, and he looked down at the edge of the table. 

"What?" 

"You're with Malachi." He said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Betty slowly nodded.

They had, in fact, had this conversation last night in the car, after Malachi told her how badass she looked in that club. She had been so happy over his approval, she didn't realize how fucked up it was. She told him she wanted to be with him. And then he carried her to her bed in her trailer. It looked like Jughead was looking into her mind. Looking at this exact memory. And he didn't like what he saw. Disgust covered his features. 

"Yeah. I am." Betty said softly. 

"Why?" He spat. "He's a _monster._ "

"He is not." 

"He's the reason people are so afraid of the Ghoulies." Jughead snapped. Betty flinched. 

"What does he do? What did he do?" Betty asked. Jughead's face softened. 

"You don't know." 

"Know what, Jughead?" Betty asked, getting frustrated. He shook his head. 

"You should hear it from him." He whispered. "You just..." He let his voice trail off, and Betty felt her stomach clench as he looked at her. He didn't know her. She didn't know him. "Never mind." It was silent between them, and Betty looked at his plate, the cheeseburger untouched. She suddenly reached across, took the cheeseburger, and took a huge bite. Jughead's eyes widened in disbelief. She put it back on his plate and took her time chewing before swallowing. He just stared at her, anger flaring in his eyes. 

"I know you did not just take a bite out of _my_ fucking burger." He said. Betty smiled. 

"You weren't eating it." She said, shrugging. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she began laughing. 

"You're a bitch." He spat. 

"You're an arrogant asshole." 

"Killer." 

"Pig." She shot back. He grinned at her, and she smiled, showing her straight white teeth. A truce. Just for now. She was sure they would be at each other's throats the next time they saw each other again. But this was fine for now.

She waited as he consumed the rest of his plate, in a matter of five minutes. Then he drove her back to her car. When he parked his car where it had been when they left, Betty didn't get out. She sat there silently for a moment. 

"I hope you and Veronica plan on hanging out soon." She said, cutting off the silence. Jughead looked at her, eyebrows raised. "I mean, you should make it a habit. Get to know her. She's pretty amazing." 

"Is that her boyfriend?" Jughead asked. Betty looked at him in confusion. "Big guy." Betty realized who he was talking about. Reggie. She shook her head. 

"No." Betty said. "No, he's not. She has no male suitors. You should change that. I think you two could really like each other." Jughead didn't look too sure about that. With that, Betty nodded, getting out of the car and shutting the door behind her. She felt his eyes on her back as she walked toward her car. She heard him get out of his own car. 

"Hey, Betty." He called. She looked over her shoulder. "If you ever threaten one of my Serpents again, I'll kill you." All humor had been drained from his face. He was serious. A threat. A strand of black hair curled on his forehead. 

Their laughter and smiles from earlier, that was obviously just a one-time thing. Where nobody was watching. There were many eyes here. Betty wondered how many people Jughead had killed. If he had killed at all. Surely he had to once or twice. Without a sober leader, he was in charge. Betty believed his threat. She saw it in his eyes. He would do anything for them. She simply nodded. 

"I wouldn't put it past you, Jones." She said, before walking the rest of the distance to her car and getting in. 

She knew where her next stop had to be. Veronica's. Back to the house, she had been at this morning. She didn't bother apologizing to Veronica that morning, because she figured it would have been better to explain how she apologized to Jughead. The more she thought about it, it was ridiculous. She never even said sorry to Toni. But Jughead hadn't deemed it necessary. Betty figured Jughead would pass along the message, and cover for her ass. It was good enough. 

Turns out, Veronica wasn't even at her house. She was at the bar. Devil's Pit. Betty should have seen that coming. She didn't think she would answer if she called. She wasn't even sure how mad Veronica was in the first place. 

As she walked into the bar, over to the place where Cheryl was bartending, and the rest of her friends-minus Reggie-sat, sharing laughs, they all stopped when they saw Betty. Although, Cheryl didn't look mad. She looked at Betty and only pressed her lips together. She looked somber. Veronica let out a rather annoyed sigh, and Kevin just rolled his eyes. A punch to the gut. 

"Hey." Betty said, sitting down next to Veronica. She didn't look at her. Neither did Kevin. Cheryl stared at them incredulously. 

"Hey, Betts." Cheryl said. "Want something to drink?" Betty shook her head, looking at Veronica. 

"V." 

"What?" Veronica snapped. Betty recoiled slightly. 

"Look, I'm sorry." 

"You're always sorry for something." 

"I just came back to the Southside. I apologized." 

"But my dad had to tell you." Veronica said coldly. "He had to tell you to." 

"She threatened Cheryl, I was just-" 

"She spilled a drink on Cheryl." Veronica said firmly. "She did not threaten her." Cheryl looked between the two girls. 

"I appreciate what you did, Betty." She said, cutting in. 

"Oh, shut up. Don't kiss her ass just because you're a drama queen who loves the attention." Veronica uncharacteristically said. Betty raised her eyebrows. "As far as I'm concerned, these next few months are about _me_. This next year is about _me._ You don't get to make a show of screaming from the rooftops how you are fucking Malachi and stomping all over Serpents. Go threaten someone else." Betty swallowed hard, looking away. A glimmer of regret showed in Veronica's eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came. 

"I'm sorry." Betty whispered. 

"I'm sick of you ruining everything." Veronica said, no longer sounding mad. She sounded exhausted. "It was understandable when you were seventeen. It's just not okay anymore, Betty. The fights, the outbursts... The psychotic breaks." Betty's eyes flitted to Veronica's face in surprise. Even Kevin was wincing. Cheryl was staring daggers into Veronica. "Every year, when the anniversary comes up, you do something stupid. I can't wait to see what you'll do tomorrow." Veronica hopped off the stool and walked away. Kevin followed her. 

Betty stared at the top of the bar, staring hard. Cheryl didn't leave, even when some men down the bar beckoned her. She simply gave them a vulgar gesture and looked at Betty again. A wounded animal. 

"I didn't think she was that mad." Betty said quietly. 

"She's... she lets her anger build up, every time you do something like this, Betty." Cheryl said honestly.

Veronica had never been mad at Betty or yelled at her before, when she would get into a bar fight, or get super drunk, or do something reckless. Or even go over to the Southside-which she rarely did, probably the reason why she had never run into any of the Serpents she now knew. Every time she did something to piss Hiram off or do the exact opposite he told her to do, she hadn't been mad. But apparently, that was untrue. Betty propped her cheek on her fist. 

"She'll be over it in two days." Cheryl said, desperately trying to get that look off Betty's face. 

"Yeah." Betty said. "Maybe." What made everything ten times worse, was that Betty had to plan her wedding. Someone who might possibly hate her guts right about now. 


	8. Euphoric Nostalgia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! The last few days have been kind of crazy. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, in advance.

Betty lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. Brooding. Her pants on, but nothing on the top. Malachi lay there, also brooding. But not for the same reason as her. He looked over at her, almost glaring, and she ignored him, continuing to stare at the ceiling. 

"How about now?" he asked. 

"No," Betty said lazily. 

"In ten minutes?" 

"No." 

"In an hour?" 

"Not tonight," Betty said, folding her hands behind her head. Malachi let out an irritated groan. 

"Why?" 

"Not in the mood." 

"Are you still upset about Veronica?" he asked. 

"Of course I am. And tomorrow's his anniversary. _The_ anniversary. Who am I going to spend it with? She's not going to be there," Betty said, letting out a small groan and grabbing the pillow, covering her face with it. 

"Well, there's me," he said, a little spitefully. Betty peeked from under the pillow, glaring at him. "I'm great at distracting people." 

"Can you stop trying to fuck me, for two seconds, Malachi?" Betty yelled, getting up and walking into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. 

"What- I was joking!" he called. He let out a sigh, and laid back, staring at the tightly shut bathroom door. "Betty," he called. "Betty," he repeated when she didn't answer. "Betty, Betty, Betty, Betty-" 

"Shut up asshole!" she yelled from behind the door. He let out a sigh, before rubbing his hands over his face. 

"Fine. I'm going to bed," he said bitterly, getting up and shutting off the light, before getting back into the bed. Betty ignored him. She waited in the bathroom until she was sure he had to be asleep, and very quietly opened the door. He was, in fact on his stomach, his head turned to the side, his eyes closed. His back would rise and fall slowly. He was asleep. Betty picked up her shirt from the floor and slipped it on, before leaving. 

Malachi lived in an apartment building. A much better one from the one Penny lived in, but it still wasn't exactly the Five Seasons. Betty shut his front door as silently as she could before letting out a sigh, sneaking out of the building, and returning to her trailer. 

The next morning, Betty began planning. She showed up at Hiram's house, but not for Veronica. Or even Hiram. She knocked on the big long door that was much taller than herself, and smiled happily, folding her hands behind her back. When the door opened, Reggie looked down at Betty. He wasn't wearing a shirt but was wearing pants. Betty cringed. 

"Can you put a shirt on? Your tits are making me uncomfortable," Betty said, crinkling her nose and then beaming up at him. He let out an exhausted sigh and ran a hand through his messy hair. Veronica's bedroom was only a few doors down, so Betty did her best to keep her voice down. 

"What do you want, Betty?" he asked, sounding tired. "It's-" He craned his neck to look over his shoulder. "Six in the morning." Betty slipped past him, into his room, and he hesitated before shutting the door behind him. 

"I need your help," she said, He raised an eyebrow. "Veronica's really mad at me." 

"No. No way. This is between you two." 

"I barely did anything wrong! I mean I did, but I owned up to it. It's not that big a deal." 

"You think she's mad about last night?" Reggie asked. Betty paled. "She's mad at the six years of hell you put her through," he snapped. 

"Excuse me? I'm an amazing friend. I've been there for her through _everything_." 

"Want me to list everything you've ruined?" Reggie asked. Betty wasn't sure how to respond, so he went on ahead. "Her twenty-first birthday. She was having a lot of fun, until you stood up on a table, drunk and declared that you were pregnant, only to find out the next day, your period was late. Everyone really thought you were pregnant." 

"Listen," Betty said. "Why would I drink if I was pregnant?" 

"Besides the point. You ruined one of her most important birthdays," he said flatly. 

"Okay well, if I was really pregnant I think that's a pretty big deal," Betty said, earning the deadliest look from Reggie. "Kidding." 

"When you were eighteen, on the anniversary of your father's death, you crashed Veronica's uncle's funeral," Reggie said flatly. 

"She didn't even know that guy," Betty pointed out. 

"You crashed. His funeral," Reggie spat. "Who does that?" He yelled. 

"It was a rough day," Betty mumbled, rubbing her arm, suddenly feeling insecure. 

"Remember when those bikers brought you to their basement and tied you up because you threatened to castrate them one by one? And I had to come to save your ass, along with _Malachi,_ " Reggie spat his name like poison. "And then Hiram had to pay them each to leave town and never come back. You made more enemies for us." 

"Kai thought it was funny." 

"Kai is a tool," Reggie said. Betty bit the inside of her cheek. 

"You just can't stop messing up. It's in your nature," he said. Betty stiffened, looking up at him. He didn't seem to realize what he said. What he was saying. "Veronica finally snapped. You're a bad friend, Betty. She can't take it anymore. It's like... You can't go too long without fucking something up for _someone_. Whether it's Veronica, or Hiram, or... me." Betty's face softened. 

"You?" 

"You've done some questionable things to impact me, trust me. Who do you think took the brunt of it when you freaked out at the restaurant last week? I did. He got mad at _me_. And I did it so he wouldn't completely murder you," Reggie said, crossing his arms. Betty looked at the floor. 

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. 

"What's wrong with you?" Reggie muttered. "You think I don't know who you were before everything happened? I know, Betty. I've heard. You used to be mature. You used to be happy. You used to have self-control." 

"I was a _kid._ "

"You were normal," Reggie said firmly. "I think everyone liked it better when instead of gutting people, you were doing dance routines." Betty didn't look up at him. He didn't know her personally before everyone found out Hal Cooper was The Black Hood. But he must have heard. From Veronica. Who she used to be. When she didn't constantly mess up. 

"Okay," Betty whispered. "Fine." She shoved past him, and in her peripheral vision, she could have sworn she saw Reggie sag with guilt, and his shoulders slump. She opened his door, and left, shutting it behind her. 

Later, she sat in the bar, gloating. Cheryl was behind the bar, _trying_ to be comforting. Not succeeding. It was almost empty. Nobody drank that early. Betty just sipped on water. Cheryl stared at her. As if looking for the right words to get the fierce, stubborn Betty that had been insulting her twenty-four hours earlier. 

"Today is not my day. Scratch that. It isn't my week," Betty muttered. 

"I got my nails done. Want to tell me how I wasted my money on overpriced gels?" Cheryl asked. Betty glared at her, and Cheryl let out a sigh. 

"Come on, Betty." 

"Why didn't anyone tell me I'm a stupid, selfish asshole?" Betty muttered. 

"I was pretty sure you already knew that," Cheryl sniped. Betty only nodded slowly. "Wallowing in self-pity is not a good look on you. You used to eat self pitiers." 

"I'm not-" Betty sighed. "I'm just tired. Okay? I'm tired of being me. Why can't I be someone else for a day?" Cheryl looked thoughtfully at the bar. 

"You're broken, Betty. I see that. I get it. Sometimes others don't have that sight." 

"I guess I just forgot that my- My Dad's a Serial Killer That I Murdered Card expired," Betty mumbled. Cheryl winced. 

"It didn't-" she began. "People can't expect you to... deal with that. No matter how many years ago it happened." 

"But they can. I have to deal with it. There are people out there getting beaten every single day of their life, and I'm just... hurting everyone who comes close to me. For something that seems like happened a lifetime ago." Betty shrugged. "I just didn't know I made her life so miserable." 

"You didn't," Cheryl said, firmly. 

"Reggie said I'm a bad friend," Betty mumbled. "Seriously, usually I wouldn't care what Reggie fucking Mantle says but... He's right." 

"Reggie is a stupid idiot who's only siding with Veronica because he's imagining what their babies would look like," Cheryl snapped. Betty almost smiled at that. "Betty, you're an amazing friend. You almost slit a girl's throat for throwing whiskey on me." 

"That just proves how much of a fucking psychopath I am." 

"No, it proves that you love me, no matter how many times I insult you, or steal your things, or take your wallet when you're drunk." 

"Wait what?" Betty said, frowning. Cheryl ignored her. 

"You're a great friend," Cheryl went ahead and said. Betty flared her nostrils and looked away. "Let's do something crazy tonight." 

"Oh no. I'm not having a drop of alcohol. I have a curse, Cheryl. And if I get drunk on this exact day, I _will_ do something super fucked up," Betty said, shaking her head. Cheryl rolled her eyes. 

"I think I'm your only friend right now. And until Veronica comes to her senses, I cannot insult you, prank you, or refuse you bar service. Therefore, it is my job, to do something fun with you tonight. And distract you." Cheryl paused. "You can even bring... That mutt." 

"I'm mad at Malachi right now," Betty muttered in annoyance. 

"First fight?" 

"He just got on my nerves. I'll talk to him when I feel like it." 

"I think you forgot how relationships work." 

"It's Malachi. I'm allowed to be dysfunctional," Betty said. Cheryl smiled and nodded. 

"Hey, uh, remember when..." Cheryl smiled and Betty stared at her. 

"What?" 

"Remember when we were nineteen, and we went clubbing in the city, and it was Veronica's idea, and we ended up staying the whole weekend. And Veronica wanted to leave early because she was tired, but these two guys ended up following her, and they were going to... You know. But you left a few minutes after her because you were feeling tired, and then you found them..." Cheryl didn't finish that sentence. "Anyway, you totally kicked their asses, and if you weren't there, they would have, you know." Betty stared at Cheryl. "You're a good friend, Betty," she said softly. 

"Thanks," Betty muttered. "I needed that." 

"So where are we going tonight?" Cheryl asked, resting her forearms on the bar. "We can make Kevin bartend." Betty thought about it. 

"Let's go somewhere far," Betty mumbled. Cheryl nodded. 

"Let's go clubbing," Cheryl said, a sparkle in her eyes. Betty snorted. 

"Sounds good," she eventually said. 

Eventually at Cheryl's house, Betty sat on her bed, music filling the open space. Cheryl was sifting through her closet. Betty wanted to fall asleep in the comfort of Cheryl's soft mattress and blankets. She didn't realize how exhausted she had actually been until then. The walls of the room were red. Dark red. It made the room look smaller than it really was, and the furniture was made of cherry wood. Clothes were draped around the place, in random places, along with some lipstick tubes lining her vanity on one wall. 

"What's your style?" Cheryl asked from the corner of the room. 

"I don't care," Betty mumbled. 

"Right, so you're going to have to break up with Malachi so I can get you laid tonight," Cheryl called. Betty sat up. 

"Cheryl," she said, looking at the redhead seriously. Cheryl looked over her shoulder at the petite blonde sitting on the bed. She let out a sigh and then nodded to herself before walking over. 

"Okay, it's abundantly clear nobody is going to tell you this, so I will," Cheryl said, taking a seat beside Betty on the bed. Betty stared at Cheryl, confused. "Betty, you shouldn't with Malachi." 

"And why the hell not?" Betty snapped. Cheryl pursed her lips together. 

"He's dangerous." 

"I'm dangerous." 

"Betty, Malachi's abusive," Cheryl blurted. Betty raised her eyebrows. 

"What?" 

"You have to see that, don't you? He's going to hurt you, Betty. I... Remember Josie?" 

"That stupid girl he dated that moved out of town? Yeah," Betty said, waiting for Cheryl to get to the point. Cheryl's features softened as she studied Betty, coming to a realization. A look of concern feigned on her face. 

"Nobody told you."

"Told me what?" 

"You never heard... what she told the sheriff?" 

"What the hell, Cheryl? Is this your idea of a sick joke?" 

"I..." Cheryl shook her head. "I can't believe you didn't know." 

"They broke up last year, what's the big deal. I can't believe you would call him abusive he would never lay a finger on me." 

"He can be abusive in other ways." 

"I'm not like that!" Betty snapped. Although, Cheryl didn't look too sure. "I like him, okay? I'm not stupid. I can take care of myself." 

"I never called you stupid," Cheryl clarified. 

"Good. Because if you ever did, your tongue would be on the floor," Betty said. Cheryl stared at her for another minute, before standing up and walking over to the closet. 

"Let's go with black," she said. 

Betty stared at herself in the mirror. She actually liked the dress. It was ten times better than the dress she wore to the dinner-party. It was black and backless. The sleeves went all the way down to her wrists but were lacy, and transparent. It stopped mid-thigh and had a sweetheart neckline. It showed the perfect amount of skin. It was acceptable for going clubbing but not over the top. Cheryl had curled Betty's long hair and let it fall over her shoulders like a waterfall. Cheryl came behind her, smiling in the mirror-like a proud mother. 

"You're beautiful," she said. 

"Fuck off," Betty hissed. Cheryl smiled wider. She had done Betty's dark, yet light eye makeup. She handed Betty a tube of lipstick. 

"Go big or go home," was all she said. Betty raised an eyebrow at her before uncapping it, looking at the color. Dark red. Almost black. Without another word, Betty applied it to her lips. Cheryl smirked as she watched. 

The club was crowded, full of sweaty bodies and flashing lights, music blasting everywhere. Betty held her chin up, walking through the crowd, eventually shoving someone if they didn't get out of her way. They never even noticed. They were too occupied grinding on someone. Cheryl followed close behind as she walked over to the bar. It had been a long time since she had gone to a club, and it hadn't been with just one person. Betty was used to going in a group. With Veronica. It felt different. 

"See anyone you like?" Betty asked, raising an eyebrow. It was a habit for Cheryl to always take someone home when they went out clubbing. She always set her eyes on a girl, and wouldn't give up until she knew that she would be going home with her. Cheryl shook her head. 

"Nope," she said flatly. She had to raise her voice in order for Betty to hear her over the music. Cheryl suddenly froze and her eyes widened. "Shit." 

"What?" Betty asked. She followed Veronica's line of sight. Kevin. "Cheryl," Betty said. Cheryl paled, getting a nervous look on her face. "What's Kevin doing here." 

"I told him I was coming here." 

"Why would you do that?" Betty hissed. 

"Because he asked! I didn't tell him I was going with _you_ ," Cheryl explained. Betty stared hard at her. "Betty, I'm sorry-" 

"If he's here Veronica is here. If Veronica is here, Reggie is here. Thanks for throwing me to the wolves. Just what I fucking needed," Betty spat. Cheryl's face softened. Betty turned away and began shouldering her way through the crowd. Cheryl didn't go after her. 

She had felt a lump in her throat. It was supposed to be her night. Just her and Cheryl. And she couldn't even get drunk and dance. Veronica was there. Her words from earlier echoed in Betty's head, and she had to fight to keep her eyes from burning. She wasn't going to breakdown. Not here, not on this night. Suddenly a man stepped in front of her, and she glared up at him. He looked Betty up and down and grinned. He liked what he saw. Betty looked over her shoulder and back at him. 

"Hey there," he said, yelling over the music. Betty curled her hand into a fist. 

"Move out of my way," she warned. He smirked and held out a glass of something. 

"Here. Loosen up," he said. She raised an eyebrow at him. "It's just vodka." She continued to stare at him, before ripping the glass from him and chugging it. The first big mistake she made that night. He smiled, his eyes wide with triumph. Betty then slammed her foot down onto his and brought her elbow down on his shoulder. He yelled out in pain and Betty walked past him. 

"Asshole," she muttered. She saw the exit sign up ahead, and walked toward it, focusing on the bright red light. Someone knocked into her, and she hissed, shoving them off of her. When she looked back up, the exit sign was gone. Her eyebrows raised. The door that she had seen there seconds ago was just a brick wall. She stared at it, confused. 

"Betty?" a familiar voice shouted over the music. She turned her head to see Archie there, looking her up and down. 

"Andrews. The hell are you doing here?" 

"Veronica invited us," he explained, shouting over the music. _us_. 

"I take it your other dogs are here?" she asked. He nodded, wincing at their new nickname. 

"Hey, are you okay? You're looking a bit pale," he said. She didn't _feel_ all that well. Her stomach squeezed, suffocating her. She nodded. 

"I'm great. Living the American dream," she said wittily. He grunted a response. The lights in the room began to get brighter, and brighter, blinding her. She put a hand up, shielding her eyes. Archie grabbed her arms, holding her up. She felt his body press against hers as he tried to balance her. "Get off of me!" She yelled, shoving him, almost falling in the process. 

"Betty, what's going on?" He asked, his eyes wide. He seemed to already know the answer to his own question. 

"I have to go," she said, getting away from his as fast as she could. People's faces began to contort. Blood. There was so much blood. Even under the neon lights, if she looked down at her hands, she would see dark purple liquid everywhere. So much blood. 

She ran into the bathroom, and slammed open the stall door, falling in front of the toilet bowl and vomiting into it. Her heart was beginning to race. It pumped faster and faster. She leaned against the cool surface of the stall wall. 

"What's happening to me?" She panted, pressing her hand to her chest. She could feel the adrenaline pulsing through her veins. 

"You made a rookie mistake," a voice said. A familiar voice. A voice she knew too well. A voice she heard every day. Betty looked over to see a woman, wearing ripped black jeans with combat boots, chains hanging from the pockets. Her eyes trailed up, to that black leather jacket and blonde hair. Green eyes. It was her. She was sitting on the sink by the mirror. She scrambled to get away, slamming into the wall, her eyes wide. 

"What the fuck?" she yelled. 

"You don't take drinks from strangers. Is this your first time doing this?" The other _her_ said. Betty rubbed her eyes but she didn't go away. 

"I'm tripping right now," Betty whispered, feeling herself begin to lose it at the sight of herself. 

"We should be at home right now. With Veronica. We always watch our favorite movies on this day," a more sweet, serene voice said. Betty looked over by the door to see a much younger girl, she couldn't be older than sixteen. She was wearing a bright pink sweater and jeans, her hair swept up into a tight ponytail. It was also Betty. Betty suddenly felt like she was going to faint. Or puke. Or both. 

"Shut up," the other one snapped. "You're useless. Unlike me. Right, Betty?" the one in black asked. Betty looked between them with wide eyes. She swallowed hard, before slowly standing up. 

"This isn't real," she managed to say. The cold one laughed. 

"Oh it's a hundred percent real. Tell her how _useless_ she is. Better yet, let's just kill her altogether," the one in black said. She whirled Betty around by the shoulders, so she could look at the young, innocent girl. "Go on. Do it. Get rid of her. We don't need her. It's just you, and me," she whispered in Betty's ear from behind. Betty stared at the girl she didn't recognize anymore, her nostrils beginning to flare. She realized she was holding a knife in her hand. She looked between the knife and the girl. 

"What..."

"Do _it,_ " she heard her own voice say. "Kill her. You think she's going to protect you from all those scumbags? She's not. _I_ am." Betty's breathing began to quicken. "Do it!" 

"Betty, wake up!" Cheryl yelled. Betty gasped, shooting up. She felt the cold of the floor beneath her thighs. It took her a minute to realize where she was. To recognize her surroundings. The bathroom of the club. Music pounded through the walls. Cheryl was looking at Betty with wide, concerned eyes. "Betty, your eyes..." 

"I have to go. I have to go. I have to go," Betty began repeating, scrambling to stand up. Cheryl tried to grab her arm but she stormed out of the bathroom, not realizing what she was doing. 

It was too crowded out there. Too many people. Betty felt paranoid. Like _he_ was in there somewhere, ready to pounce. Her legs began to feel wobbly. She had this extreme feeling of exhaustion coming on, so intense she could fall any second. She fought the exhaustion, squinting around looking for the exit. But all she saw were kids she went to high school with, lockers lining the walls. She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, willing the lockers to go away. 

When she felt hands touch her, she freaked out. Arms. Too many arms. She flinched, jumping away. The lack of feeling in her legs didn't do her much justice. She had felt her back press into someone's body before jumping away and whirling around. Her shoulders sagged when her own eyes met soft green ones. He was bent over to level with her face. He had such concern in his eyes. His dark black hair left a strand dangling over his left eyebrow. Betty began to turn around but Jughead grabbed her shoulders, firmly yet gently. He took her cheeks in one hand, holding her still so he could look in her eyes, examine her. 

"Who did it?" he simply asked. Betty felt like she was going to faint, but he held onto her. "Who did it?" he repeated, firmer. He sounded... mad. "Point him out to me." Jughead wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began walking her in a direction. Her knees almost buckled beneath her, but Jughead kept her upright, his touch soft. "Come on, Betty," he urged. Betty squinted her eyes, into the crowd, looking around. 

Her eyes landed on one familiar-looking man, in his late twenties. By the bar. His lips were curled into a sinister smile, looking at the bartender behind the bar, a woman. His cropped hair and jean jacket too familiar. Betty looked up at Jughead. He saw exactly who she was looking at. Jughead then looked toward where Betty could see Archie and Sweet Pea standing, in the shadows, across the room. He nodded, and they both began stalking towards the man. Betty's heart raced. 

"What-" 

"Don't look," Jughead ordered, pulling her away, walking her towards the exit. Betty couldn't hear anything behind her over the music. Betty continued looking straight ahead, her vision blurring. 

"What are you doing here?" she managed to say. 

"I was invited," he said gruffly. He didn't sound too happy about that. So he was dragged here. By someone. Betty guessed Veronica invited him but Archie forced him to go. She could imagine him sitting by the bar, brooding, when he saw her stumble out of the bathroom, her eyes glazed and looking terrified. Her bloodshot eyes and lack of feeling revealed what had been done. 

When Jughead helped Betty into his car, in the parking lot, she leaned herded back against the headrest, closing her eyes. She didn't want to fall asleep, so she immediately opened them again. Though, she knew there would be a time when she couldn't fight the drug any longer. Soon. Jughead got into the driver's seat and reached into the back, handing her water. 

"Drink," he ordered. Betty obeyed, drinking as much as it as she could, screwing back on the cap when she was done. Jughead had pulled out of the parking lot and was heading back towards Greendale. 

"Thank you," she whispered into the darkness of his car. He had been wearing a black leather jacket, one without the green snake on the back, and a plain white t-shirt underneath, on top of black jeans. His usual attire. Betty's eyes drifted down to his black-on-black converse, and under any normal circumstances she would have jabbed at him for wearing them, but she was too tired. Too... she felt strange. She had just let a stranger lead her out of a club, into his car. She supposed Jughead wouldn't be a stranger for much longer. She would be seeing him a lot. 

"I thought you were smarter than that," he muttered. He still sounded angry. He was mad at her, Betty realized. His brows were lowered and he was staring hard out the windshield. He wouldn't look at her. Betty suddenly felt stupid in her small black dress. 

"I am," she admitted. "I just... I had a bad night." He didn't respond. "Six years ago today, I murdered my own father. I'm not going to sugar-coat it. I know you know. Everyone knows." Her words were slurred and came out lazy. In the corner of her eye, she saw Jughead's shoulders sag. "I'm just the big bad murderer," she said, laughing as she said it. She could practically see inside Jughead's head. The anger was gone. Now he just looked speechless, unable to respond to such things. 

"I'm sorry," he eventually said, his voice softer than it was a moment ago. Betty felt her arms begin to lose their feeling, much like her legs back in the club. Her mind began to slip away. 

"Sometimes," she mumbled, her eyelids feeling very heavy. "I wonder if life would be easier for everyone else... if I just, didn't exist. Went away." She closed her eyes, unable to see Jughead's reaction. The only reaction she got was the slam on the brakes, and the car moving to the side, off the road.

Betty shot up, widening her eyes as Jughead got out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him. She narrowed her eyebrows, unable to gain clarity. She didn't fully realize what she had just revealed to him. She thought he had completely left her there before her door opened and she jumped. He got into her face, his hands braced on either side of her, on the seat. There was fire in his eyes. Fury. 

"Don't _ever_ say that," he spat. Betty blinked once. Twice. Thrice. She couldn't process what was happening. "Don't think like that. _ever_. Please." He stared hard at her, and she couldn't decipher exactly, what, he was thinking. His face was unreadable. She finally nodded. He then slammed the door shut and went back to his side. They were back on the road within the minute. It was silent for the next few moments. 

"Why... why did you help me? What are they going to do with him?" Betty finally asked. 

"To answer your first question, you're my fiancé's best friend. And as weird as that sounds... it's true." Jughead let out an exasperated sigh. "I saw you like that, and I had to do something."

"Yeah well, we might not be best friends anymore," Betty mumbled. She didn't bother telling him she would be planning his wedding. Not yet. She had time, and she would spend as much of it as possible waiting for Hiram's budget and the date and not so much as touching a pamphlet. Or telling the bride and groom. Jughead didn't say anything to her statement. He obviously didn't care and wasn't about to get in the middle of it. 

"They aren't going to _kill_ him if that's what you're thinking," Jughead grumbled.

Betty looked at him, and for the first time realized how dangerous he really could be. She wondered what kind of wicked darkness was under that cold exterior. Despite his gentleness and warnings to never have such dark thoughts, or at least express them around him, there was something off about Jughead. Power. The way that with one nod of his head, Archie and Sweet Pea took away that man. If Hiram trusted Jughead to be the king of not one, but _two_ very dangerous gangs, then there were a lot of things Betty didn't know about Jughead Jones. And an even darker thought occurred to her. She wondered how many people Jughead had killed. At least one. His title may have been Serpent Prince, but he acted as Serpent King. His father did nothing for them. Jughead didn't seem like the type to let others do his dirty work for him. Not as Betty's eyes traveled to his knuckles and at the bruises, and cracks there. Her mind wandered back to that day at Sweetwater River. He threw something in there. A shiver went down her spine. She had been underestimating him. 

"I'll deal with him later," Jughead said when Betty grew silent. She just nodded, forgetting all the times it was _her_ who beat the living shit out of Ghoulies who dared deceive Hiram. 

They were in Greendale, at the trailer park within the next few minutes, but Betty felt paralyzed. She got out of the car, putting pressure on her legs and grabbing onto the door when her knees immediately buckled. Jughead was by her side in seconds, his hand on her waist. She glared at him, but he didn't take his hands off her. He kept her balanced and shut the car door behind them. She tried to walk again, only to come close to eating shit. Jughead let out an irritated groan as he grabbed onto her arm. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling sleepy.

Jughead leaned down and surprised her by grabbing her legs. She clambered to hold onto him as his arm slid under her knees, and his other arm supported her lower back. She said nothing as he carried her up the stairs, stone-faced. It looked like he was trying his hardest not to look down at her thighs, as her dress had ridden up when he picked her up. He looked _anywhere_ but down. He only stopped in front of the door and glared at Betty until she opened the door for him. He carefully walked in, and blindly walked through the dark, down the hall. Betty had to tell him which door lead to the bedroom. 

He carefully laid her down on the unmade bed. Betty's eyelids felt like they weighed hundreds of pounds at that point. She couldn't stop them when they closed. She felt Jughead take her comforter and lay it over her, tucking it up beneath her chin. Then the click of the door shutting. The start of the engine. He was gone. And Betty was asleep within seconds. 

She fell asleep, her nightmares greeting her. His _face_ waiting for her. The scraping of a metal hook against lockers...


	9. Broken Bones

Stupid, ignorant, irresponsible. Jughead kept repeating these words in his head, as he grabbed Betty, as he forced her to point out the prick who drugged her, as he drove her home. Of course, he couldn't entirely blame her. No, he just had to be an asshole. He had to admit, hearing those words come out of her mouth, those oh so vulnerable words, made him fume. The whole night was bad. But after he made sure she was in bed and safe, he texted Cheryl from her phone, letting her know that Betty was fine, and at home. And then he left. He had things to do. Things he would very much enjoy doing. Jughead hated clubbing. He thought it was ridiculous. It was just people drinking and sweaty bodies grinding against each other to horrible music.

Although, he liked the drinking part. The second part, not so much. But Archie reminded him it was another way to get to know the women he would marry. What a joke. Veronica talked to him for five minutes before getting distracted, to Jughead's irritation. But now, as he left Betty's trailer he stopped in his tracks when he saw a silhouette walking towards him. He knew exactly who it was. He straightened up as Malachi appeared from the shadows. He smirked when he saw Jughead. 

"Jones. What a pleasant surprise. Mind telling me what you're doing at my girlfriend's house?" 

"Doing what _you_ should be doing. Where the hell were you?" 

"She's not exactly talking to me at the moment. Which is why I'm going to fix that. Excuse me," Malachi said, trying to walk past Jughead. Jughead stepped in his way, straightening his back and looking down at him. 

"You're not going in there."

"Excuse me?" 

"I said you're not going in there," Jughead growled, getting in Malachi's face. "Because she's not in her right mind right now. No, in fact, she's asleep. And she won't wake up for a very long time. And I would feel more comfortable if she were in a state where she could kick your ass if she wanted to," he spat. 

"I don't give a shit about your comfort," Malachi growled right back. "I'm seeing my girl." 

"No. You aren't," Jughead said firmly, not moving. He knew Malachi. Possibly better than Betty. He wouldn't put it past the man if he fucked her while she slept. And Jughead would _never_ forgive himself if something like that happened. Even if their relationship was none of his business. Even if he barely knew Betty. Malachi sized him up. "Want me to kick your ass again?" 

"You don't scare me. Have a nice night," Malachi moved around Jughead and headed towards the door. Jughead grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and slammed him against the side of the trailer. 

"If you go in there... I'll enjoy crushing your bones one by one, and the sound of you screaming will be music to my ears," Jughead said coldly. Malachi was wise enough to pale and show hesitation in his eyes. 

"You're in Ghoulie territory." 

"I don't care," Jughead grumbled. Malachi shoved him off and began walking backward, facing Jughead. 

"Fine," he said. "But... if this is because you've developed some sick crush on my girlfriend, forget about it." He stopped walking, and Jughead furrowed his brows. "She's mine. That sweet, tight pussy, is all mine. And I can _fuck_ her whenever I want." Jughead almost winced at the words but refrained. He said nothing, standing tall and waiting for him to go. He shrugged. "Sucks. You got the stupid raven-haired slut. You know she fucks her bodyguard, right? Every night, her moans fill that big house, because of Reggie Mantle. I bet she'll keep fucking him when you two are married." Jughead opened and closed his fist behind his back. 

"That's enough." 

"You think you're so cool, Jones? You aren't that big and strong. Just wait. Everything will go to _shit_ for you soon," Malachi spat. Jughead frowned. What was _that_ supposed to mean. Malachi smiled. "Have a good night." And then he was gone. 

Jughead looked at Betty's trailer, the only sound filling his ears now was the sound of crickets. He just couldn't understand how she could be with someone like him. But he reminded himself, Betty was practically a stranger. Despite what he was about to do. 

"What the hell? He woke up half an hour ago and won't shut the fuck up. Where were you?" Archie snapped as Jughead walked through the woods, over to his two most trusted Serpents. 

"I got caught up," Jughead said simply. He paused. He could indeed, hear the man yelling for help. But that was because the bunker door was open. It was soundproof. "Why is it open?"

"Chill, nobody will hear him for miles. We wanted him to hear us talking. Add a little spice," Sweet Pea explained. Jughead rolled his eyes. He looked at the aluminum baseball bat he held in his hands. It had been lying in his trunk, along with other weapons. 

"Let's go," Jughead said darkly, walking past his two friends and to the opening of the bunker, climbing down the ladder. The man froze when he saw the three men emerge. He looked at two of them who had taken him, and then the newest one. 

"What is this? Where am I?" he asked. 

"Hell. I'm the devil," Jughead said flatly. He stared at him incredulously. 

"What's going on?" 

"What's going on... John. What a generic name," Jughead said, looking at the driver's license Archie had handed him. "Is that I don't like guys who drug girls. And I _really_ don't like guys who rape girls," he said, kneeling down in front of the man bound to a chair by ropes that Jughead hoped burn his skin. He stared at Jughead, wide-eyed. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said. 

"Oh, I think you do. See, I have this friend. She's blonde. About five-four. Green eyes. They look like emeralds. Pale skin. Is this ringing any bells? Sorry, I'm probably describing half the human race. She most likely looked pretty pissed off when you ran into her. In desperate need of a drink," Jughead's eyes drifted to his shoulder. He reached a hand out and squeezed it. John hissed in pain. Jughead's eyes glimmered, and he smiled pridefully. "She did _that_ ," he said softly. 

"I... I remember her," the man said hesitantly. 

"What were you planning on doing? Had she not, dislocated your shoulder, and sprained your foot? Were you going to take advantage of her?" 

"No," he said, a little too quickly. Jughead looked over his shoulder, at Archie and Sweet Pea, standing, with their arms crossed. He grinned at them. 

"You hearing this bullshit?" he asked, laughing wickedly. 

"Oh yeah," Archie said, sounding bored. Jughead looked back at the man sitting before him. 

"You're a _liar_ , John. And not a very good one." Jughead clicked his tongue. "See, the key is to look me in the eyes. Never look away. That gives you away. Don't tap your foot, or fidget, or play with your hair. And keep your heartbeat steady. You think nobody else can hear it... but I can see it. Written all over your face." The man swallowed hard, the sound filling the room.

Jughead began untying his ropes, around his wrists, and legs. Archie and Sweet Pea just watched. When he was fully unbound. He got up and made a break for the exit. Jughead hit him in the back with the bat, knocking him over. He laughed coldly at the writhing and groaning coming from the man. 

"Well, what did you think was going to happen?" Jughead asked, incredulously. He leaned down, and whispered in his ear, "you make me sick." He then stood up straight and raised the bat.

He brought it down on the man's left leg. He yelled out in agony, the sound of bones splintering and cracking filling the room. Jughead raised the bat again and brought it down on his right leg. Another scream of pain sounded. Jughead let out a sigh, wiping his brow. 

"How many girls have you raped, John?" Jughead asked, sounding bored. "Or touched. Drugged. It's all the same. All... so cruel." Archie and Sweet Pea remained unfazed. They were too calm as if this was something they witnessed a lot. John let out low sobs of pain from the floor. Jughead squatted down beside him, dropping the bat, the metal clinking on the concrete floor. 

"You're sick," the writhing man moaned. 

"No," Jughead said. "I'm not. I feel great." He grinned at the sight of him. "You're not going to go to the police," he said. Not a question. 

"Fuck you," the crumpled man spat at Jughead. Jughead grinned. 

"You aren't going to go to the police... because if you do, I'll bring my blonde friend to the station, she'll tell them how you gave her a drink. A drink you spiked. The media will get word. Your face will be everywhere. And when all those other girls you drugged and brought home, see you... they'll remember. And you will go to jail longer than I will," Jughead said, his voice full of hollowness and spite. If the man on the floor wasn't already pale and shaking before, now he was. Jughead stood up. "Get rid of him," he sighed out, picking up his bat, and climbing up the ladder. 

Jughead drove back to the Southside trailer park, and shut the engine, staring blankly out the windshield. He rested his forehead on the steering wheel, exhaustion hitting him. He still heard the screams of that man. That stupid prick. He took a deep breath, before getting out of the car and locking it as he jogged up the steps to the trailer and unlocked the door. 

Jellybean had been inside, half-asleep on the couch, watching some show on TV that Jughead didn't recognize. When she heard the door open and shut she looked up and smiled lazily at her older brother. 

"There you are," she said. Jughead nodded. 

"You're still awake?" 

"Couldn't sleep. I think I'm going to go to bed now, though," she said, slowly standing up. "How was it?" 

"I don't want to talk about it," Jughead murmured. 

"That bad?" the small brunette asked.

When Jughead didn't answer, she shrugged and padded down the hall, the sound of her door clicking shut sounding. Jughead walked over to the couch and collapsed down onto it, running his hands through his hair. A chime went off, and he looked to the cushion next to him. Jellybean's phone. He picked it up, standing up to give it to her, but paused. 

_him <3: I love you too._

Jughead frowned down at the text on her home screen and looked up at her closed door down the hall. Fury raged in him. _Who the hell was 'him'._ He tossed the phone back on the couch, and grabbed his keys, leaving the trailer, slamming the door shut behind him, rattling the walls. 

Betty woke up, with quite possibly the worst hangover she's ever had. She frowned, and pressed her fingers to the center of her forehead, letting out a groan. When she heard her front door slam open, she yelled out in pain, shuddering as Cheryl stormed in her room. 

"Are you fucking crazy, you stupid bitch?" Cheryl yelled. Betty gaped, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. 

"Why are you screaming?" she asked, straining to get the words out. 

"Roofied. You. I hope you're happy. You are so fucking lucky Jughead stepped in when he did. Jughead Jones? Are you kidding me? You should be eating him alive, not being a little damsel in distress for _him_ ," Cheryl hissed. 

"Look, last night didn't exactly go as I planned, either," Betty admitted. 

"Fuck no, it didn't. I am so sick and tired of your _shit-_ "

"Then leave," Betty snapped. "God, Cheryl fuck you for coming in here, waking me up and giving me this bullshit. I'm done. I'm done with the yelling and being blamed for... what, are you blaming me for getting drugged? Is that what this is? Get the fuck out of my house." Betty went back to rubbing her temples. Cheryl gaped at her. 

"I'm sorry," she finally said. Betty let out a sigh. 

"Me too," she said. Cheryl sat on the edge of the bed. "Does Veronica know what happened? She was there last night." 

"She knows," Cheryl admitted. "She uh... doesn't know whether to coddle you or continue ignoring you." 

"Great," Betty muttered. "And I'm planning her wedding." Cheryl blinked. Once. Twice. 

"What?" she said, tight-lipped. 

"Oh yeah. Don't tell anyone by the way." 

" _You_ are planning her wedding? _You?_ "

"You're just as surprised as I was." 

"Well. This is news." Cheryl looked off to the window in the far corner in the room. "You have work today. Not at the bar. Hiram needs you." 

"I'm not sure if I can get her in today," Betty murmured. Cheryl frowned. 

"Who?" she asked. Betty looked at her red-headed friend and realized what she had just said. She shook her head. Crazy. She sounded crazy. 

"No one. Never mind." Betty let out a sigh, groaning as she got out of the bed, and padded into the bathroom. 

She realized, a lot of people hated her at that moment. She remembered the things she said to Jughead the night before and grumbled at them. At the things, she had never revealed to anyone. She hated the fact she would eventually have to see Reggie. So he can kiss Veronica's ass. Be on her side. Even if she was wrong. Which, she wasn't. Betty stared at her reflection. Her mind flashed to Jughead. The dangerous look on his face when he saw that man at the bar after she pointed him out. His bloodied and bruised knuckles, white on the steering wheel. 

After Betty changed into different clothes, and let the bathroom, Cheryl was still sitting on her bed, waiting for her. She raised an eyebrow when Betty emerged from the bathroom. Betty rolled her eyes at her, walking over to her closet to grab her Ghoulie jacket. 

"Talk to Malachi today?" Cheryl asked. 

"I just woke up," Betty said flatly. 

"Okay, _are_ you going to talk to him?" 

"Um, yeah," Betty said, her voice sounding more reproachful than she would have liked. She could practically see Cheryl raising her eyebrows from behind. Betty shrugged her jacket on and turned around. 

"Betty, about what I was saying last night... about Josie-" 

"I have to go. I have a lot of things to do. Lock the door on your way out, yeah?" Betty quickly walked out of the room. She didn't want to know. Not now. Not ever. She couldn't handle it. She opened the door, walking down the steps. Cheryl didn't go after her, thank the Lord for that.

Hiram hadn't called her or summoned her yet. So for now, she assumed he didn't need her. No, what she needed was a distraction. A task. That didn't include Hiram, or Cheryl, or even Veronica. Betty let out a sigh, looking at her beat-up car, putting her hands on her hips. It was a good day to get into some trouble. 

Betty walked up to the auto repair shop, having just locked her car after parking in the parking lot. She opened the front door, hearing the jingle of bells as she did so. Charlie looked up from what he had been doing and smiled at Betty from his desk. 

"You're not working today," he said softly as she walked over. 

"Yeah, I know. I just came to see if you needed any help. I have no plans today," Betty said, taking a seat, and grinning sideways at him. She had left her jacket in her car. 

"It's a slow day today. I'm afraid there is no work for you. But you're free to keep me company," he said, frowning back down at the paperwork sprawled before him. Betty remained silent for a minute. Another one. She then asked him what she came there to say. 

"Charlie, did my dad have a lot of enemies?" Betty asked. He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well... did he have any contact with a woman named Penny? Penny Peabody." Charlie's face paled at the name. 

"Why are you asking those questions, girl?" 

"I'm just curious," Betty murmured. It wasn't good enough. She hoped he would buy it anyway. Charlie wasn't stupid. She silently begged him not to ask questions. Don't look too closely. He eventually loosed a sigh and tossed the folder he had been holding on the table. 

"He meddled with Penny. She's dangerous. She was a Serpent. And then when... when one of them skinned off her tattoo and told her never to return, she wanted revenge. So she became a Ghoulie. Wanted to get back at them. She was so horrible, she even got kicked out of the Ghoulies. Nasty people," Charlie explained. Betty raised an eyebrow. She knew about Penny's past, she knew she had been in multiple gangs and gotten kicked out. What she didn't know was who exactly skinned her tattoo off. 

"Who did it? Who cut off her..." Betty let her voice trail off. Charlie propped a chin on a fist. 

"Don't know. She wouldn't ever tell anybody. It was like she was ashamed. Embarrassed," he said softly. "He would make deals with her. I never knew the specifics. But it was against the rules. She was looked down upon." It reminded Betty of Malachi, meeting up with her and feeding her information. It made Betty cringe at the thought. She stood up. 

"Thanks Charlie," she said. He was still pale as she walked out, walking into the parking lot and towards her car.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she hauled it out, looking at the home screen. She squinted her eyes at the notification for an email she had gotten from Hiram. She opened it up. It was the details of the wedding. A date and a budget. September twenty-sixth. It was the budget her eyes bulged at. A hundred thousand dollars. 

"What the fuck?" she muttered. 

Ten minutes later, she was in Riverdale. In the Southside. At the Whyte Wyrm. She needed someone to talk to. Someone who knew Jughead. But not Jughead directly. She also needed this specific someone to keep her little secret, a secret, for a little bit longer. As she strode in, eyes drifted towards her, and she dared hope Jughead wouldn't be there. He wasn't in sight. But the person she was looking for was. She ignored the hissing coming her way and deadly glares. 

Across the room, Archie sat at the bar, next to a woman. This woman looked... beautiful. Utterly beautiful. She couldn't have been more than a year older than Betty herself. She had long blonde wavy hair, her roots dark. Bright blue eyes. The color of crystals. Betty stopped in her tracks for just a moment. Archie was smiling at her, but she didn't look amused. He was laying his elbow on the bar, trying to coax her, it looked like. Betty got closer, trying to remain unseen. 

"Come on," Archie whined. "You know you want to. Just once. To see what it would be like." 

"Oh, Archie," she sighed. "I would never sleep with you. Not in a million years." 

"If Jughead can have you, why can't I?" Archie asked, raising an eyebrow. Bold. He was being very bold. He seemed different. This wasn't the kind, shy redhead she had met at that fancy restaurant. Or the dangerous, cold man she had spoken to after coming to give the Serpents that package. Archie had many layers indeed. He seemed like a cocky, arrogant asshole now. That danger still lingered, though. Archie was definitely not someone an average person was to mess with. None of them were. 

"Because," she said simply. "Jughead... knows exactly what I want." Betty cringed. She didn't know why she was surprised. Of course, he had a plaything. He wasn't committed to Veronica. Far from it. Betty had to admit, Jughead was discreet about it, at least. He didn't seem like the type of man to play around. Yet, here was this woman. 

"I'm a fast learner," Archie said with a grin. "You know, Jughead's going to be a married man soon. What are you going to do then?" 

"Trust me, Andrews," she drawled, her voice sounding similar to the hiss of a snake. "His marriage," she said this coldly. "Will not change a thing between us." Betty had heard enough. More than she wanted to know. Just as Archie opened his mouth to respond, Betty came up to them. 

"Archie," she said softly. Both of them turned to look at her. The arrogant, cocky smile disappeared from Archie's mouth. His face hardened and he looked her up and down. Betty had the decency to feel a cold tingle go down her spine at his deadly glare. Like he had just been interrupted. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone not so friendly. Betty stood her guard. 

"I need to talk to you," she said, raising an eyebrow. She turned to the blonde female and looked her up and down, sliding a cool mask onto her face. Betty looked bored, giving this woman a dismissive look before looking back to Archie. She saw red. Good. 

"Betty Cooper," she said, the words coming out like poison. Great. A fan. 

"Yeah. Who the hell are you?" Betty asked. The female smiled. Archie's eyes widened at Betty in surprise. Betty supposed not a lot of people talked to this woman in that tone. 

"Betty, this is Risa," Archie said uneasily. The more Betty stared at her, the more unnerved she got. They looked scarily similar. The same height, same hair color-even though Risa's blonde didn't seem natural-different eye color, but...

"Risa," Betty said. The word on her tongue sounded familiar. Too familiar. She smiled viscously at Betty. 

"I've heard all about you," she said, her eyes slithering over Betty. 

"That's funny, I haven't heard anything about _you_ ," Betty said coldly. That smile faded. She saw more red. Betty smiled. "I'm not surprised. Archie, can we go somewhere? And talk. It's about that bullheaded leader of yours," Risa straightened, her olive skin nearing a red color. 

"Actually, Archie and I were just in the middle of something," she said calmly. Betty had to admit, she put on a good show of looking unbothered. Not good enough, though. 

"Oh, I'm sure it was very important," Betty said, not bothering looking at her. "But mines probably more important. It has to do with Jughead's wedding. Happening in five months. To my _best_ friend," Betty said, turning to Risa. Challenging her. Something glimmered in her eyes. She stared back at Betty, holding her gaze. She wouldn't drop it. 

"Yeah, Betty," Archie finally said, obviously uncomfortable. "Let's go." Betty looked away from her to smile at Archie. She threw Risa one last glance before following Archie outside the bar. "This better be good," he grumbled, clearly upset about how his conversation with Risa ended. 

"I'm planning the wedding," Betty blurted out, as she stopped walking. Archie froze, before turning around and staring at her with a frown. Betty looked at him desperately, her cool mask slipping. "I need your help," she breathed. Archie raised his eyebrows, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

Five minutes later, they sat in one of the red booths in Pop's, across from each other. Betty was looking down into her coffee cup, her hands around the warm exterior. It had been silent for a couple of minutes, and Archie wouldn't stop staring at her. 

"Is he... where is he?" Betty finally asked. 

"He's picking Jellybean up from school right about now," Archie muttered. Betty nodded. More silence, besides the clattering of plates and scraping of forks against dishes. 

"Have they... bonded? Veronica and Jughead? Gotten closer?" 

"You don't know for yourself?" Archie asked with a raised eyebrow. Betty looked up at him, not wanting to tell him about her broken friendship. She shook her head and pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Kind of. They have different interests. You know, Veronica isn't exactly Jughead's type."

"So what is his type?" 

"Short, feisty blondes," Archie said, a smirk forming on his lips. Betty looked up at him, horrified. She was going to assume that Archie was talking about Risa and ignore that. 

"Um... I don't-I'm going to need to pick the venue, and the cake, and flowers, and guest lists, and parties. I just-I've never done this before and I-"

"Betty," Archie said firmly. Betty rubbed her hands over her face. She took in a breath and then looked at Archie, shoving her hair back as she did so. 

"Yeah." 

"I'm going to help you. Even though I might be worse at this than you are," he admitted. Betty nodded. 

"Right." 

Archie propped his chin on a fist, dazing out the window beside him. He said, "She's really mad at you, you know." Betty looked sideways at him. Veronica had told him about their minor argument? About how she was mad at Betty? Betty's eyebrows knitted. The smirk grew on Archie's face. "I went back to the club after... taking care of some business for Jughead. She was wasted by then. I learned a lot."

Betty decided to ignore this. "Is he dead? The man who drugged me?" Archie simply shook his head. "What did you do to him?" 

" _I_ didn't do anything to him." Archie's eyes glinted, his smirk growing dangerous. "Though, it was entertaining to _watch_."

Betty found herself swallowing hard, to her discredit. She hoped Archie didn't notice. She was grateful when her phone lit up on the table and began ringing. Archie's eyes slid to it, and Betty smiled, before picking up the phone and answering whoever was calling, pressing the phone to her ear. 

"Meet me at the Devil's Pit. Five minutes," Hiram's voice ordered, before hanging up. She didn't even get to reply. Betty's brows furrowed and she looked down at her phone screen. 

Archie raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" he asked. 

Betty looked up at him, pressing her lips into a thin line. She slowly nodded. "Yeah. I have to go. How much do I owe?" Betty looked down at the single cup of coffee that probably cost less than a dollar. 

Archie waved a dismissive hand at her. "Go. I got it." He must have seen the sudden urgency on her face, the panic. Betty nodded, scooting out of the booth, and then walking out to the parking lot.

They took her car there, and on the way Betty remembered trying to hold in a laugh, watching as Archie leaned over, trying not to hit his head on the roof. He was a lot bigger up close, tall, and broad-shouldered. Jughead was taller than Archie by a few inches, though he wasn't as broad. Betty scowled at herself for comparing the two. She reminded herself that she didn't care about either of them. 

Walking into the bar, Hiram was sitting on a chair, on the stage at the front. He was waiting for her. Lots of his men were in there. In fact, Betty was the only _female_ in the bar. She ignored the irritation coiling in her abdomen. Reggie stood next to Hiram, arms crossed over his chest. He didn't so much as look at Betty. She would have spat on him if Hiram weren't there. Betty spotted Malachi, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, glaring at Hiram up on the stage. Nobody noticed or questioned it. Betty strode for him, putting a hand on his shoulder when she got there. He looked at her and smiled softly. 

"What's going on?" Betty whispered. 

"We're about to find out," he said, looking back at Hiram, his glare returning. Betty followed his gaze and furrowed her brows. Hiram nodded at her. 

"I'm afraid we have a problem. A very big problem," Hiram announced. Reggie didn't so much as blink. He just stared hard into the crowd. Betty listened intently. "There's someone feeding Penny Peabody information on us. Information, I would prefer wasn't shared," Hiram growled in anger, standing up. "If any of you are doing it, I suggest you step up now. Maybe I won't _kill_ you if you do. But if I find out... no. _When_ I find out, and you haven't confessed... I will kill you. Slowly." 

Betty looked at Malachi, forcing her eyes not to wide, forcing her chest not to heave. Malachi didn't look at her. He made it a point not to. It was him. She knew that. He knew it. Betty felt panic unfold in her chest. She looked back at the stage. Hiram was waiting patiently. 

"No? No-one? Well then... your orders are to find this son of a bitch. I don't care if you kill him, I don't care if you bring him to me... get rid of him. Penny is going to use this information. She's going to try to take _my_ throne. With whatever fucking gang of her own she's building. I will not tolerate snitches," he spat. Betty almost flinched at his hard tone. "You're dismissed." Hiram then turned to Reggie, and Betty knew he was still using his hard, utterly bone-chilling tone by the look on Reggie's face. His usual olive skin had gone a bit pale. 

"Let's go," Malachi muttered, stalking for the door. Betty followed him.

In the car, neither of them spoke. Betty didn't dare confront him. Not yet. Not until they got into his apartment. When the door was shut, when Malachi slid the bolt shut, and walked into the kitchen, looking so unnervingly unbothered, Betty started. 

"Kai... he knows. He knows. He knows everything." 

"No he doesn't," he muttered, pouring himself a drink. 

"Are you hearing yourself?" Betty snapped, raising her voice. His eyes slid to her. He didn't like that. "He's going to kill you. Literally, kill you. He always finds out. How did he know about this? Huh? We have to do something. You're going to die-"

"I wanted him to find out," Malachi said simply. Betty froze, staring at him incredulously. 

"You... you what?" 

"I planted evidence for him. It's all part of the plan." Malachi shrugged. Betty's chest began to rise and fall faster. Whether in complete anger, betrayal, or fear, she wasn't sure. 

"You fucking planted it?" she yelled. Malachi let out an annoyed sigh. "What the fuck is _wrong_ with you? What are you doing? I want to know. I want to know right now! You need to go to Hiram. _We_ are going to Hiram." Betty turned away from him, heading towards the door. She opened it, but before she could register what was happening, Malachi slammed the door back shut, rattling the walls. Betty's eyes widened at him. 

"No. You aren't," he said, his voice so calm and cold that Betty paled. He grabbed onto one of her wrists, so hard it hurt. 

"Kai, let go of me," Betty said, keeping her own voice calm. 

"Are you going to tell Hiram?" 

"I _have_ to-" She was cut off when Malachi slammed her back against the wall. She felt pain ache in her back as he grabbed her other wrist, gripping them both so tightly, she winced. 

"No you don't," he spat in her face. She looked up at him, with wide, confused eyes. Her throat began to close up. 

"You're hurting me," she breathed. 

Malachi looked down between them, before looking back up at her eyes. At that moment, she was no longer the dangerous Ghoulie everyone had heard about. That everyone feared. She was... a scared little girl, holding a gun up to her father's head. He finally breathed out, loosening his grip on her, and resting his forehead in the crook of her shoulder. Betty stared wide-eyed at the wall over his shoulder, her whole body shaking. She could feel his hot breath on her neck. 

Malachi looked back up at her with a soft smile. "I'm sorry," he whispered. She blinked once. He rested his face into her neck again, kissing softly. "I didn't mean to. Just... please don't tell, okay? I promise everything will work out. I'll be fine." Betty continued to stare at the blank wall behind him. 

She wasn't herself. She was standing outside her body, watching herself, begging her to kick him between the legs. To punch him. To walk out and never talk to him again. To confess everything to Hiram. But instead, her lips parted, and what came out was, "Okay." She felt, nothing. 

It was later, and Malachi had driven Betty back to the bar. She wanted to go to see Cheryl, and he wanted to come with her. She didn't object. Inside, she made a beeline for the bar. Malachi didn't follow her but instead went to a table where all his cronies were, laughing immediately at things that were being said. Cheryl took one look at Betty and smiled. 

"Hey, stranger," she said. Betty nodded, plastering a smile onto her face. "Do you have any-" Someone from the end of the bar whistled at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Be right back." Before Betty could say anything, she was gone. 

Betty noticed that there were a few Serpents in the bar, and she let out a sigh, propping her temple onto her hand. Her eyes landed on Archie, sitting in the corner, smiling at something Veronica was saying. Before Veronica could spot her, feel her eyes on her, Betty quickly looked away. She suddenly had a deep urge to have a drink. Her eyelids felt heavy. 

"You look like shit," remarked a familiar voice. She didn't have to look to see who it was. She turned her head to see Jughead, leaning against the bar. 

"Just tired," she mumbled. He was smirking at her. "What?" 

"Nothing," he said casually. It looked like he was about to make fun of her. Maybe tease her with a useless piece of information. But his eyes drifted to her wrists. Betty raised an eyebrow, looking down. Dark, bruises ringed them. In the shape of fingers. She yanked her sleeves down as fast as she could, looking back up at Jughead. That shit-eating grin was gone. He was staring at her, his eyebrows lowered. 

"What the fuck are you looking at?" she snapped, so cold, so cruel, he flinched. Her nostrils flared. 

"Did he do that to you?" he only whispered. Betty stared at him incredulously. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, but the next time you _ever_ look at me like that, I swear to god I'll fucking kill you," Betty hissed, loud enough for people nearby to hear. His expression didn't change. Betty turned around, clenching her jaw as she walked toward the exit, away from him, away from Cheryl, looking at her back with a worried glance. 

She didn't care that she left Malachi there. She didn't care that she got _too_ defensive. She didn't care what the hell Jughead thought. As she stared at herself, in the mirror in her bathroom, her hands braced on either side of the sink, her chest heaved. She dug her nails into the porcelain. She continued to stare at herself, and at the very last second, she screamed. 


	10. Maine

Betty pulled on her biggest hoodie, and a pair of sweatpants. It was raining outside. No, pouring. She looked at her wrists, her fingers beginning to shake as she did. Reminders. Reminders of what she _let_ happen to herself. A reminder that even after all these years she still wasn't strong enough. She looked out the window, the whole room dark, only being illuminated by the lights of nearby trailers outside. She wasn't sure exactly where she wanted to go as she grabbed her keys and went outside, right into the rain, immediately getting soaked. She didn't care. She didn't care that her clothes were now wet and her skin would be cold and wet underneath. She didn't care as she drove, letting her inner subconscious lead her to wherever she truly wanted to go. 

She blacked out. She didn't even come back into her body until she was there, just five minutes later, walking up the steps of the mansion. She stopped on the front door, staring, staring as the rain continued to come down on her. Until finally, bring a shaking, hesitant hand up, curled into a fist, she knocked. A minute passed. Two. She was convinced that nobody would come to the door. Nobody. Until Veronica opened the door and furrowed her brows, her features softening when she saw the small blonde outside. 

Betty swallowed hard, noticing the difference between the cold water slipping down her face and the hot tears that slid down her cheeks. She was crying. Veronica pressed her lips together and opened her arms wide. Betty immediately collapsed into them, letting out a choked sob as she did, feeling the desperate, warm relief wash through her as her best friend held her, rubbing her soaked back. 

She ended up telling Veronica what it was like to be drugged in the club, and about the meeting with Hiram. And the things she saw when she was hallucinating. What she didn't tell Veronica was, that Malachi touched her. That he gripped her wrists until they bruised. No, Betty subtly hid her wrists. She even confessed that she was put in charge of planning the whole wedding. For now, under these circumstances, Veronica didn't jump up with excitement or give Betty instructions. She would do that another day. But not now. 

"I'm sorry," Veronica managed when Betty was done.

She stared at the roaring fire in front of them, in Veronica's living room. They were both on the floor, on a rug. Betty was stripped to her undergarments, with a blanket wrapped around herself, her skin still a bit damp. The heat from the fire helped. 

"It's like... he's haunting me. He's everywhere I look," Betty admitted. She could still hear the scraping of his hook against those lockers. 

"Don't think like that." Veronica took her cold hand in hers. "I should have been there for you. You spent that day alone this year." Betty looked at her friend. 

"I had Cheryl," she muttered, though she knew what Veronica meant. The room filled with silence and Betty looked back at the fire. 

"Well... maybe a little trip would make you feel better." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"In a few days... well, Reggie has to get a package for Hiram. It can't be shipped, it's too risky. Lord knows what's in there. Anyway, he needs to get it by hand. I guess it's important to the Serpents too because Jughead is going as well. One thing led to another... and I guess we're all gong. Us, meaning Cheryl, Kevin, Reggie, me, and some of the Serpents," Veronica explained.

Betty looked at her incredulously. "Where?" 

"Maine."

"You're taking a trip to Maine? Veronica, people take trips to the city, Vegas, Europe, I don't know, Florida. Nobody goes to Maine for fun." 

"It's not just that," Veronica insisted. "I don't want Reggie to go alone, with Jughead. It's not that I don't trust Jughead it's just..." Her voice trailed off. Betty could have finished the thought. She doesn't want her fuck buddy to interact alone with her fiancé. "It's a good opportunity for me to get to know him. And the other Serpents. We're all going to be one big gang one day," Veronica said, steering her reasoning in a different direction. "Come with us."

Betty thought about the look on Jughead's face when he saw her bruises. How his smirk faded, his eyes grew solemn, his features softened. He looked... worried. Not good. Not good at all. "No thanks," Betty said. The last thing she needed was a weekend away with the asshole. 

Veronica pouted at that. "Betty-"

"V, I'm sorry," Betty said, cutting her off. She blinked once. "I'm sorry for-being such a shitty friend." She frowned down at her lap, shaking her head. "I honestly didn't even notice that it's me who always steals your thunder. And makes everything about myself. I love you. So much. And next time I do something like that, I want you to tell me." Betty looked at her raven-haired friend, her face dead serious. Veronica only smiled. 

"Thank you, Betty," she said softly. "But I refuse to accept your apology unless you come with me to Maine." Betty's face fell. 

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm dead serious," Veronica chimed. Betty's shoulders slumped, and she thought about it.

A weekend without having to look over her shoulder in case Malachi surprised her. An excuse to ignore his calls and texts. She frowned down at her wrist and looked back up. Ridiculous. She was being ridiculous. She reminded herself that Malachi would never hurt her on purpose. He was angry. She did things she regrets when she's angry as well. She planted this into her mind. She remembered that she wanted to be with him. And as she looked back up at Veronica's face, she convinced herself that she would not be doing this to get away from Malachi but to spend time with her friends. And the-Serpents. 

Betty loosed a long sigh. "Fine." Veronica squealed. 

Jughead lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't realized how hard he was clenching his jaw. How great it was to imagine smashing Malachi's skull into a wall. Kicking him until he was coughing up blood. Those fucking bruises kept flashing in his head. It wasn't that he cared about Betty. He didn't care for her. She was the biggest pain in his ass. But the sheer thought of his mortal enemy-enemy for years-hurting someone who was in a relationship with him, it made Jughead sick. He _hated_ him. He wanted to kill him. He had these thoughts for years, ever since the day he met the sorry bastard. He could just-

"Where did you go?" that sweet, serene voice mused from next to him. He suddenly remembered who he was with. Risa climbed over him, straddling his lap and leaning down to kiss him. "I'm right here," she purred, moving her naked body against him. He kissed her back, for a second, before grabbing her hips, and forcefully pushing her off of him, onto the mattress next to him. She let out a surprised gasp. 

"I'm not in the mood," he grumbled. 

"You were in the mood five minutes ago," she snapped. 

"Yeah. And now I'm done with you," he said dismissively. She stared at him incredulously. "This is the last time, Risa." 

"The hell it is." 

"I'm getting married." 

"You don't even love her." 

"I don't even love _you_ ," he snapped. She blinked. Once. Twice. Then she smiled, that sweet smile that made him wanna hurl. 

"Just because you're marrying that privileged rich bitch, doesn't mean we can't have fun..." Risa ran her hands over his chest, going down, down, down-

Jughead grabbed her wrist, firmly but gently. He carefully moved it away from himself. She gaped at him, as if he didn't reject her at least once a week, and then come to her when he felt like it. She never rejected him when he had an urge. 

"Go bother one of the other men. Sweet Pea, perhaps. He seems a bit lonely, lately," Jughead suggested, smiling coldly at her. She snorted at that. 

"Yeah, right," she said, moving off the bed and getting up, picking up her shirt. Jughead watched her. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Sweet Pea's as stubborn as a horse. Is he a virgin, by any chance?" she asked, as she began dressing. 

Jughead knew for a fact Sweet Pea was not a virgin, having seen lots of girls leave his trailer in the past. Well, not a _lot_ , but every once and a while. Unlike Jughead and Archie, he did not like one night stands. He liked relationships, and commitment. It was usually him who got used in the end. But recently, Jughead had not heard him talk of any girls, or nights he spent with one. Even at the bar, he didn't look twice at the same girl. He never thought about it before but found it the slightest bit odd now. 

"No," he said simply. 

"I think he has a secret lover," Risa mused. Jughead glared at her in annoyance. 

"It is none of my concern, and _certainly_ none of yours," he said coldly. She rolled her eyes. 

"You've never been one for gossip, Jones." 

"Get out." 

"Yeah, yeah. I'm leaving," she called over her shoulder, walking out of his bedroom after her pants were buttoned.

Jughead leaned his head back against his headboard, furrowing his brows. He tried not to let it bother him that there was a possibility Sweet Pea was keeping things from him. It was easy to push the thought out of his head though, willing to wait until it either turned out to be nothing or Sweet Pea would tell him, himself. No, instead, Jughead focused on his goal that would begin within the next couple of days. 

Betty leaned against the car, that was parked right outside of the Southside trailer park. Reggie sat in the driver's seat, slumped back, staring up at the ceiling as if praying he would have a reason not to go on this trip. Veronica was grinning at something Cheryl had said. Betty crossed her arms over her chest. She had told Malachi about the trip this morning, in her trailer. He had bid her goodbye and told her to be safe, before kissing her. She reluctantly kissed him back, and warmth had returned to her body when she was around him. Although, her gut still twisted the slightest bit. She ignored the feeling with every cell in her body. 

"Alright," Archie said. "Who's riding with who?" 

Betty could practically see Reggie's eyes widening, hoping certain others would _not_ be riding with him. Jughead walked over and glanced at Reggie in the car, before quickly glancing away, keeping a hard mask on his face. Nobody else seemed to notice, but Betty raised an eyebrow. She wondered if he knew something he shouldn't. 

"I'm riding with Reggie," Betty announced.

Jughead didn't so much as look at her. He hadn't looked at her once since they arrived. Good. Veronica bit her lip as if she wasn't sure what would sound better. Riding with Jughead or Reggie. She settled on the former. 

"I'll ride with you, Jug," she said, smiling at him. Betty raised both her eyebrows at that. 

Jughead managed to smile softly at her. "Sounds good. You'll be with Pea, and Archie though. I hope you don't mind the things these two idiots will be saying." Archie glared at him, but Sweet Pea's lips tugged up. 

"We're here!" a familiar voice called. They all looked up. Toni Topaz came over with her half-brother, her backpack on her shoulders. "You didn't think you could take a trip without us, could you?" Cheryl glared dangerously at her. "Who am I riding with?" 

"The mutts," Cheryl said, pointing her chin at the three Serpents standing next to Veronica. 

"We can only fit one more," Jughead regarded, looking at the petite pink-haired girl. Toni smirked. 

"Well, you guys must have a lot of catching up to do with Fangs..." Toni said, looking at her brother with a sinister smile, and then at Cheryl. Cheryl glared at her, fire burning in her eyes. Veronica bit her lip and looked between the two. 

"Um... Toni, you should ride with us. You don't want me to be stuck in a car with four men, do you?" Veronica offered. Toni's cold eyes slid to Veronica's, and a softness showed in them. She slowly smiled. 

"You're right. Fangs, you go with the Ghoulies," she said, showing mercy.

Betty blew out a breath. She didn't want to hear the squabbling for seven hours. She brought up the question of why they couldn't just fly, but Veronica explained that though she could easily afford plane tickets for all of us, this would be more fun. What a joke. 

"Sorry I'm late," a younger, female voice said. All eight of them looked up. Jellybean stood there, beaming at all of them, a small school backpack resting on her back.

Betty looked over at Jughead and Sweet Pea. She had to give Sweet Pea some credit. He kept a cool mask on his face, looking Jellybean up and down dismissively. But he did glance at Jughead for a moment before quickly looking away. Jughead, on the other hand, looked pissed. His nostrils flared. 

"You aren't coming," he demanded.

She put her hands on her hips, her blue eyes brighter than ever, and her golden-brown hair looking lighter, in the sun. "Yes, I am. It's Friday. We're coming back early Monday morning, I'll be back in time for school." 

"There's no room in the car for you," Jughead shot back.

Jellybean's eyes drifted to Sweet Pea, and she smirked. "I guess I'll just have to sit on someone's lap," she said with a raised eyebrow. Sweet Pea's eyes widened, and a slight blush went to his cheeks before he quickly looked away and suddenly found the sky _very_ interesting. Betty fought the urge to snort. She concluded she was the only one here who knew they were fucking each other. 

Jughead walked over, grabbing her roughly by the arm and pulling her to the side, although everyone could still hear him. "There's going to be drinking." 

"You act like I've never gotten wasted before," Jellybean said with a light laugh. Jughead glared at her. "Joking," she said quickly. "Lighten up." 

"I said you aren't coming. You're _seventeen_ years old you don't need to be hanging out with us. You have friends of your own." 

"I'm not a child, Jughead! I want to come." she snapped, his words hitting a little too close to home. Betty glanced at Sweet Pea, and he looked utterly ashamed. She had enough. 

"Hey, Jellybean!" she called. Jughead whirled around, looking at Betty for the first time, and Jellybean narrowed in on Betty, her mouth open in question. "Come on, you're riding with me." Jellybean's eyes lit up, and she smiled. Betty smiled back. She skipped over. Veronica raised an eyebrow at Betty, and Sweet Pea looked like he might throw up. 

" _What?_ " Jughead growled out. 

"Relax, Jones. The girl can take care of herself. She's old enough to make her _own_ decisions. Maybe you should learn to stop sticking your nose into other people's business," Betty snapped, her voice venomous. Jughead's face softened, and he realized this wasn't about Jellybean as his eyes slid to her wrists. The bruises were gone by then. Betty raised her chin, pushing her shoulders back. "Let's hit the road, guys. I want to get there before five."

With that, Betty opened the door for Jellybean, and Jellybean gave Betty a smile of thanks, before climbing into the car, Betty getting in beside her. Fangs got in the front seat, and Cheryl got in the back with the girls. Jughead realized this was a fight he wasn't going to win. He got in his own car, in front of the wheel. The rest of his crew followed, plus Veronica. 

Sitting between Betty and Cheryl, Jellybean excitedly looked between them. Betty was wondering if she made a bad decision, and Cheryl already was annoyed, not looking at the teenager. Betty assumed Fangs and Jellybean were close enough. He probably babysat her when she was young at one point. Reggie kept his eyes on the road, the others following behind him. 

"So, what's the plan?" Jellybean asked. Cheryl's eyes slid to her, full of disgust. Betty's face remained expressionless, looking at the back of Reggie's seat. "We getting some drugs? Cocaine? Oh! Are we going to the beach? Maine is by a lot of water. Are we going to drink a lot-"

" _You,_ " Cheryl said, her voice full of irritation. "Will stay at the hotel while Jughead and Reggie over here, will do their job. _We_ , will be doing the grown-up stuff." 

Betty glared at Cheryl, warning her to be nice. She dragged Jellybean into this, vouching for her. She might as well look after her. In a way. "What Cheryl means to say is..." Betty's voice was full of warning, and then she smiled warmly at Jellybean. "We'll see what happens, okay? I can only do so much for you." 

Jellybean beamed at Betty. "Thanks, by the way. I appreciated that." Betty only nodded in response. 

She only hoped Jellybean was smart enough not to do anything stupid. Sneaking into Sweet Pea's hotel room would be risky. And Betty wasn't in the mood for drama this weekend. 

"You're going to get yourself killed," Reggie warned from the front seat, looking at Betty in the rearview mirror. Fangs chucked lowly at that. Betty's eyes slid to him. 

"The fuck are you laughing at?" 

"I've never seen someone talk to Jughead like that. _Especially_ , when it comes to Jellybean. You got balls," Fangs mused.

Betty could feel Cheryl's eyes on her, but she ignored her. She only cleared her throat. "He's only a man," she said easily. Fangs twisted in his seat, so he was looking Betty in her eyes. She held his gaze. He snorted and shook his head as if what she said had been the understatement of the year. Betty straightened her back as he turned back so he was facing the front. Even Jellybean was staring at Betty as if she realized something nobody else in the car had. It was going to be a long ride indeed.   
  


Four hours later, Cheryl was writing in her seat, driving Jellybean and Betty crazy. "Reggie Mantle if you do not pull this car over right this second I am going to piss my pants," she snapped.

Fangs jolted awake from his sleep, glaring at nobody in particular and rubbing a hand over his face. Reggie was simmering where he sat. "Cheryl, I'm following Jughead. When he stops, I stop," he snapped. 

"We could just call him-" Fangs began. 

"Shut up," Reggie grumbled. Fangs glared at him. 

"Wanna say that again?" he asked. 

"Okay!" Betty unbuckled her seatbelt and got between them, shifting so her back was to the dash. Reggie gave her a bewildered look. 

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked. "Betty stop-I have to keep my eyes on the road-" Betty plucked Fang's phone right from his hands and his eyes widened in rage. She put her hand up, making him freeze while she sorted through his contacts until she found the J's. 

They all froze and went silent as the phone rang on speaker. It felt like hours before the ringing stopped and Jughead's voice filled the car. 

"What?" he said, sounding more irritated than anything. Archie's laughter filled the background. "Shut up," he muttered. 

"We're hungry!" Betty yelled into the phone. "And Cheryl is at risk of her bladder exploding-" 

"I'm going to murder you," Cheryl said, curling her manicured fingers into a fist. Betty rolled her eyes. Reggie was still glaring murderously at her. Betty winked at him. 

"Fine, I'm taking the next exit. Just follow me," Jughead said. 

"Alright compadre," Betty said before hanging up. 

"Did you just call him compadre?" Reggie asked, and Fangs began chuckling. Betty tossed his phone back to him and he caught it with ease. Betty just crossed her arms and leaned back against the dash, crossing her arms over her chest and looking between the two men. 

"So... what's in the package?" Betty asked. Reggie let out an exasperated sigh. 

"Here we go," he mumbled. 

"I want to know, too," Jellybean called from the back. Cheryl raised an eyebrow at her. 

"Let's bring the minor into this," Reggie said with a roll of his eyes. 

"Let's bring the uptight, stupid Ghoulie into this," Jellybean shot back. Betty threw her head back and laughed. 

"Oh, I love you little snake," she said, tipping her head back with approval. "Your brother, however, needs to get that stick out of his ass," 

"Do not talk about Jughead like that," Fangs snapped. She had reached her limit. "You want to talk shit to his face, that's fine but I will not let you disrespect him behind his back. He is of higher authority than you." Fangs glared at her and then looked out his window. Betty gave Cheryl a look and she shook with silent laughter. 

A few minutes later, Jughead took the nearest exit and Reggie followed. He stopped at a gas station that was attached to a chicken place, and everyone filed out of the two cars. Cheryl dramatically made a break for the restrooms, her hands between her legs. Betty laughed but Veronica rolled her eyes at the sight. 

Archie grabbed Sweet Pea and tucked his neck under his arm, pressing his knuckles into his scalp. Sweet Pea shoved him off and shot him a glare, but Archie was laughing. Betty leaned against the car, next to Jellybean who was staring at Sweet Pea. 

"Dogs," Betty muttered. Jellybean looked at her, and then back at Sweet Pea. 

"Yeah," she whispered. Betty watched her. 

"Jellybean, are you on birth control?" she asked. It looked like the girl had jumped out of her skin. She looked at Betty with wide eyes. 

"What? No! I'm not even..." She quickly looked to see if Jughead was looking at them. He was on the phone, a cigarette in his other hand. He had a look of steel plastered on his face. "I'm not having sex," she finally said quietly. Betty raised an eyebrow, but Jellybean added nothing. 

"Please be careful," Betty said. "And I'm not just talking about sex. Men are vile. And you're young." Jellybean looked inclined to snap at her, but just then, Betty's ringtone went off. 

She fished her phone out of her pocket. Malachi. She nodded at Jellybean, before walking away and answering the phone. 

"Where the fuck are you?" he snapped from the other end of the line, without even giving her a chance to say hello. Betty pursed her lips together in slight irritation. 

"I told you I was going to Maine with Veronica and the Serpents. Don't worry, Reggie is here with us. And Cheryl." Wrong thing to say. 

"I could have gone with you. Not Reggie fucking Mantle. It would have been good. For me and Penny. Not to mention Jughead fucking Jones. I don't trust that prick," Malachi said. Betty glanced up at Jughead, who had hung up the phone and was looking absently in the distance. Betty quickly glanced away. 

"Malachi, um, I thought I told you I didn't want to be a part of whatever you and Penny are doing. Okay? I stand with Hiram. I don't like this. Please, just..." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I'm worried about you." 

"Keep your god damned mouth shut," he said. "I have it covered, baby. This isn't your concern. But if you find out crucial information that could be useful, I'm trusting you to tell me." 

"But-"

"You _will_ tell me, right Betts?" he asked. She bit her lip, her eyes stinging. The spot where he had gripped her wrists began to sting as if reminding her what he did. 

"Yes," she choked out. "Yes, of course." 

"Good girl," he growled. She closed her eyes again. 

"I'll call you later," she said, before hanging up and covering her mouth with her hand. The air had been ripped from her lungs. 

"Betty?" Betty whipped around to see Reggie. He was looking at her hand, where she held her phone, and then back up at her eyes. "Are you okay?" She nodded quickly and wiped at her cheeks. 

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. Just Malachi." She smiled reassuringly at him, but at the mention of Malachi's name, he had grown weary. 

"Alright," he said. "We're getting ready to hit the road again. We should be there in three more hours. Less without traffic." He jerked his head over to the cars. "Come on." She nodded. 

"Got it. Be there in one sec," she said. When he walked away, she let her arms fall to her sides. She looked over to where Jughead was laughing. He was laughing at something Veronica had said. She was smiling up at him. Something hurt in Betty's chest. She wasn't sure what. Would Malachi ever look at her like that? She closed her eyes, hearing the thumping of her heart in her own ears. 

"Betty!" Reggie called. Where he looked at her, he looked concerned. She ignored the look, and walked over, getting in the back without another word. Jellybean and Cheryl climbed in after her. 

Betty didn't say anything the rest of the ride. And everyone knew better than to say anything to her. They knew something was wrong. They didn't ask. 


	11. Wrong Time, Wrong Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of you are asking if I’m okay because I ghosted for about two months and then randomly updated like three of my fics;yes, I am okay. I appreciate the concern, really, but I was just busy with my schooling. It was a rough start and I felt it needed my full attention, but now that everything is situated, I will start uploading on a normal schedule now. Thank you for asking, I’m fine :).

They arrived at the hotel around five-thirty. A little later than Reggie had been hoping for, but it was okay. They had to meet with whoever would be delivering the package at 6:30, but after Jughead and Reggie dropped everyone off, they took off in Jughead’s car, bringing Archie and Sweet Pea along. Jellybean had glared at the bumper, and Betty had to steer her to the hotel room adjoined to her own. Jellybean had asked for it to be that way.   
  


“What do you think it is?” Jellybean asked, sitting cross-legged on Betty’s bed. Betty was too polite to ask her to go to her own room so Betty can think in the silence. Though, that wouldn’t have sounded too sane.   
  


“Drugs,” Betty said simply. She wasn’t serious, of course. No, Hiram was not the drug-dealing type. Albeit, she wouldn’t put it past the Serpents.

”Seriously,” Jellybean pressed. Betty had been sitting on the single chair in one corner of the room, looking out the window for Jughead’s beaten up car.   
  


“I’m not sure,” she said honestly. “Hiram is good at keeping me out of his shit. So is Jughead, I guess.” This thought led to Fp. Jughead no doubt pretended to be his father when he emailed Hiram or communicated with him in any way. Jughead wasn’t the official king, but he might as well have been.   
  


“My father doesn’t know then,” Jellybean said. “He would have gotten drunk and announced it to everyone at the Whyte Wyrm.”   
  


Betty snorted, but Jellybean wasn’t smiling. She was frowning down at her lap. “Why don’t you go take a shower? I bet they’ll be back when you’re out and then you and Jughead can talk.”   
  


Jellybean cringed but nodded nonetheless. After she got up and went through the door in the wall connecting their rooms, and Betty heard the click of it shutting, she got up and went to get her laptop out of her backpack. She had just opened it up and began to search up how much everything for the wedding might cost when she heard a loud scratching sound coming from the hallway outside.   
  


Betty frowned, looking to where Jellybean had disappeared mere moments before. She heard water running. She was in the shower. The scratching sound sounded again. Betty slowly pushed her laptop to the side and stood up, forcing her footsteps to be silent as she crept towards the door. Opening it as silently as she could, she peered in the hallway.   
  


Nothing. There was nothing.   
  


She looked to one side, and then the other. It was empty. Stepping fully out and putting her hands on her hips, she rolled her eyes. She was being paranoid. But when she turned to go back into the room, a set of hands grabbed her by the shoulders and she let out a sharp gasp, reacting way too slow. She opened her mouth to scream, but he had already put his big hand over her mouth.   
  


“It’s me,” that familiar voice snarled. Betty opened her eyes wide to be met with a pair of dark brown-almost black eyes she knew too well. Dread filled her at the wicked smile that grew on Malachi’s face. “Hey, baby.”   
  


She shoved his hands away from her and wrapped her arms around herself, lowering her voice. She didn’t want Jellybean or Cheryl hearing. Cheryl was on the other side of her room. “What are you doing here?”   
  


“Penny wants to know what that package is. I left a couple of hours after you guys. Went a little over the speed limit. Ready to go?”   
  


She stared at him incredulously because punching his arm as hard as she could. “Are you fucking crazy? I thought I made it clear that I stand by Hiram. He is my best friend's father and believe it or not, a father of my own in a sick twisted way. He is my boss. My leader. So you can go fuck yourself-“ Before she could finish he grabbed her wrist and twisted it in an inhuman way. A yell ripped from her throat and he shoved her hard up against the wall, cutting it off.   
  


She made to bring her knee up between his legs but he caught it and kicked it hard with his foot. A whimper left her lips. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. The air had been knocked from her lungs.   
  


_Weak. Weak, weak, weak.  
_

He leaned in and she could feel his hot breath against the shell of her ear. “I’m going to find out what that fucking package is. And you’re going to stop being a little bitch. Enough of this self-righteous shit. Hiram is nothing. Anyone loyal to him... is nothing,” Malachi said. Betty felt bile rise in her throat. “Say you’re sorry,” he said, leaning away to see her face. She looked up at him, hating herself for the fear that must have shone in her eyes.   
  


_Weak._

”N-No,” she choked out. He slammed her hard back against the wall.   
  


“Say you’re sorry. Come on, Betty. I want to forgive you for your little outburst.” He leaned his forehead on her shoulder. “I know you didn’t mean it.”   
  


She stared past his shoulder, eyes glazed. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. She could feel him smile. She closed her eyes, a numbness creeping in.   
  


“Good girl,” he muttered.   
  


The sound of a doorknob jiggling filled the space, and in seconds Malachi was gone. He had disappeared inside of her room. A second later, Cheryl appeared in the hallway, looking at Betty. Betty subtly slid her sleeve over her wrist, where a new bruise was no doubt forming. She bet another one was forming on her knee as well.   
  


“Hey, you okay?” Cheryl asked warily. Betty plastered a smile on her face and nodded.   
  


“Yup. I’m great. Why?”   
  


“I thought I heard voices out here,” she said, crossing her arms over her stomach.   
  


“No. I was just... thinking. I think I’m going to go out for a little bit. Take a walk. If Jellybean asks where I went, just tell her I’ll be back soon,” Betty said. Cheryl furrowed her brow and a glimmer shone in her eyes.   
  


“Leaving me to babysit?” she asked. Betty forced a quiet chuckle from her throat.   
  


“Enjoy,” she said, sewing her usual arrogant tone into her voice.   
  


_Liar. Faker. Fake. You’re fake.  
_

“Alright, well, just be careful,” Cheryl said, before walking into her room. When the door clicked shut, Betty stiffened. Malachi made an appearance a moment later, that wicked grin still on his face.   
  


Betty stared up at him, blinking once. “You in the mood for a stake-out?” he asked.

In Malachi’s car, Betty sat slumped in the seat, trying not to be seen by anyone from the outside. Malachi was hunched over, looking out the windshield. They weren’t even there, which didn’t make sense since they had left way before them, but Malachi was sure this was the meeting spot. Even Betty didn’t know where they were supposed to be meeting, but somehow Malachi did.   
  


Now, he had his eyes narrowed, looking in every direction and looking paranoid as hell. Betty subtly watched him, a cat in the darkness. He didn’t notice.   
  


“Mal?” she said.   
  


“What?” he asked. When she didn’t respond, he looked at her. She stared back at him.   
  


“Never mind,” she muttered. He looked away, not inquiring. He didn’t care.   
  


“They’re here,” he said suddenly. Betty sat up slightly to see Jughead’s car pull up, while another one came from the opposite direction. Malachi watched, looking like a man who just found a pot of gold.   
  


Betty looked to him, and then at the shadowy figures that got out of Jughead’s car. Four. They were all there. Five men got out of the other car. Betty’s heart lurched in her chest.   
  


The tallest of the shadow-figures by Jughead’s car, stayed by Jughead’s side. Sweet Pea. Jughead-he was talking to who must have been the leader of the men they were meeting with. Betty couldn’t see Jughead’s face, but she assumed it must have been serious. A different kind of serious she was used to. The two bulky figures stood at the back-Reggie and Archie. But then one of them stepped forward and said something. Reggie.   
  


“This is useless, we can’t hear anything,” Betty said. Malachi shushed her and continued to watch.   
  


“Wait-“ he said, just as the leader punched Jughead in the face. Betty gasped. Everyone seemed to freeze.   
  


Jughead had been hunched over, clutching his eye, before he slowly stood straight up to his full height. Nothing was happening. He was just staring. And then Betty saw his face, in the flash of one of the headlights. There was pure deadly intent on his face. Betty did not want to be on the other end of that stare. Ever.   
  


One second, everyone was standing and staring, frozen. The next, chaos exploded. Jughead had punched the man so hard, he dropped to the floor. Just like that. And then his men lurched. And so did Archie, Reggie, and Sweet Pea. Malachi started the engine and Betty looked at him with bewildered eyes.   
  


“We have to help them!” she said. Malachi rolled his eyes, and took the car out of park “Malachi.” Her voice didn’t waver. He ignored her. “Fine. Leave. If you want to be a coward, then I don’t give a shit. But that is my _friend_ out there.”   
  


Before he could grab her before he could yell, she opened the door and hurdled out, running away from the car. Toward Reggie. She stopped behind a crate, peering around it. They had been in an abandoned shipping port. Giant crates were everywhere. Betty watched as the men beat each other. It was hard to see who exactly was who first. But she recognized Jughead, his mouth dripping with blood, atop the leader, showing no mercy. Betty cringed at the sound of bone breaking against his fists.   
  


She brought out her switchblade, ready to walk right in and help when a hand grabbed her wrist from behind and snapped. She let out a cry and dropped the knife, the same wrist that Malachi had grabbed now throbbing in pain. The fifth man had snuck away and saw her. He violently whipped her around to face him and shoved her against the crate, wrapping his hands around her throat and squeezed. Hard.   
  


Betty choked and opened her mouth, her hands flying to his, her legs feeling numb. Her eyes felt like they were going to explode. Black clouded the edges of her sight. With every bit of strength and energy she had, she brought her knee up between his legs. In seconds, he had let go of her throat. He doubled back, grunting in both pain and anger.   
  


Betty glared at him, kicking his abdomen with her leg. He staggered back once more. She didn’t hesitate, descending upon him. “I am sick,” she seethed, bringing her elbow down upon his shoulder. Another groan of pain. “Of men,” she punched him in the face, her knuckles pulsing. “Touching me.” She shoved him until he was down on his back, writhing.   
  


“Well,” a deep, scarily calm voice said from behind her. “You are quite the spy.” Betty turned around. Jughead was leaning against the crate, watching her. His arms were crossed over his chest. His eyes simmered with anger. Archie, Reggie, and Sweet Pea walked over, looking Betty over.   
  


“Betty?” Reggie’s voice contorted with anger as well.   
  


“I just saved your asses,” Betty snapped.   
  


“You saved your ass and almost got yourself killed in the process. I hope you’re satisfied with what you saw, by the way.” Jughead grimaced at Sweet Pea. “That was a fail.”   
  


“What the hell happened?” Betty asked incredulously. Jughead exploded with anger.   
  


“We got scammed that’s what fucking happened!” he boomed, kicking the crate and making a hole in the process. Betty flinched. Reggie noticed. He frowned at her, and she averted her gaze.   
  


Jughead ran his hands through his hair, pacing the space, the rage coming off of him in waves. There was proof of it lying a few feet away, the face unrecognizable. As Betty looked, she wondered if the man was dead. And realized Jughead didn’t care.   
  


“What was it?” Betty got the nerve to ask. Jughead jerked his head up at her, pausing. Sweet Pea’s eyes filled with dread as if he would murder her on the spot. Archie got closer, looking ready to grab him should he try. She didn’t stop. “What were you supposed to get?” Everyone was silent for what felt like forever.   
  


“I don’t know,” Jughead finally said. “They bought something from Hiram a long time ago. He was ready to buy it back. They just wanted the money.” He let out a long sigh, some of the anger in him seeming to dissipate. It was still there, despite it.

Betty nodded, looking around. Malachi’s car was gone. He had left. He had left her. Had he seen the man choking her before he tore out of the space and decided to leave, not knowing if she was dead or not? She pushed the thoughts from her mind. Later. She would think about it later. Now she looked at Jughead, looking at the unconscious-possible dead-men. He didn’t question how she got there. He seemed too tired to.   
  


“Let’s just go,” he said finally, nodding to his car. Nobody objected. They all just piled in the car and went back to the hotel.   
  


When Betty got into her hotel room, she locked the door and turned her phone on with shaky hands. She half expected Malachi to jump out of nowhere and put his hands on her again. She would fall apart if he did. But he didn’t. Her hotel room was quiet. Untouched. When she turned on her phone she had a single text. From Malachi.   
  


_Went home. I’ll see you when you get back._

A spider crept down her spine. Looking forward to it. With an exasperated sigh, she fell back on her bed. It was so quiet. Too quiet. She frowned, staring at the blank pale yellow wall. How did she end up here? Before she could think against it, she stood up and left the room, leaving her phone on that mattress. She walked down the hall a few doors and then stopped at one, glaring at the door as if she could see right through it. Before she could walk away, she knocked on the wood, perhaps a bit too hard to be subtle.   
  


A heartbeat passed. Two. She should leave. She should walk away. But then the door opened, and Jughead was standing there, towering over her. Glaring down at her. “What?” he snapped. Her features softened, and she continued to stare at him. In disbelief. “What do you want?” he prodded.   
  


“No,” she said. He raised an eyebrow. “ _You_ do not get to be mad at me. You do not get to blame me for what happened tonight. I didn’t even interfere until you idiots started getting your ass beaten.”   
  


“You weren’t even supposed to be there!” he countered.

She never wanted to be there. But he didn’t know that. And he probably never would. Her face heated. Weak. “Jughead-“ she began, her voice full of rising anger. She stopped when she saw his shirt. Blood seeped through. “You’re hurt,” she said, dumbfounded. He looked down as if he didn’t even notice. Grimacing, he shook his head.   
  


“I’m fine,” he said. Betty rolled her eyes and shoved past him into his room. “What the hell?”   
  


“We can resume our argument after I’m done making sure you don’t bleed to death,” Betty said simply, going into his bathroom and getting the first aid kit.   
  


“I don’t need you to take care of me,” he snapped. Betty froze, her back turned to him. She took a deep breath, before turning to look at him. His shoulders seemed to slump slightly at the look she gave him.   
  


“You don’t take care of yourself. So someone has to.” She sat on the edge of his bed and patted the space next to her. “Sit.” Reluctantly, he did. “Shirt off.” He gave her an incredulous look and she rolled her eyes. “So I can see, idiot.”   
  


With the roll of his eyes, he took his shirt off. She froze, looking. Looking at his toned torso, his tan skin that saw the sun often. Her eyes traveled down his body until they reached the wound. It wasn’t deep enough to spill his guts but it was deep enough to need stitches. It was a gash against his abdomen. It must have happened in the brief moments she wasn’t watching him. The guy must have pulled a knife. And he still won. Clearing her throat, she opened the kit.   
  


“Quite reckless tonight, aren’t we?” she said nonchalantly. He heaved a sigh.   
  


“Maybe,” he muttered. She looked up at him beneath lowered lashes. He looked distant. His eyes were clouded. When clarity came, he looked down and his eyes went to her wrist. Her bruised, throbbing wrist. Betty froze, fighting the urge to pull her sleeve down, scream at him, and leave, the walls rattling in her wake. But she did none of those things. She let him look. Her wrists would swell in the morning.   
  


“Boyfriend, or thug?” he asked, in a voice so quiet she had to strain to hear. A lump formed in her throat.   
  


“Don’t,” she whispered. He looked away. She took the stitching kit out and didn’t hesitate to pour the alcohol on his gash. He yelled out in surprise and pain, and a small smile of satisfaction curved Betty’s lips. He glared at her, though slight amusement gleamed in his eyes.   
  


“Fucking hell,” he breathed, wincing.   
  


“Big baby,” Betty said, pushing the needle through his skin and taking no small amount of satisfaction in the hiss that escaped through his teeth.   
  


It was quiet while she worked. They didn’t talk. They didn’t yell, they just... sat in comfortable silence. He hissed or grunted every now and then, and every sound reverberated through her. When she was done and the bandage was over the stitches, she gave him a tentative smile. The only sound was the occasional car driving by outside, or a door slamming shut from someone coming back to their room after a long night of drinking.   
  


“All done,” she said triumphantly. He grinned at her, though she could tell he was still angry. Maybe not at her but... at his failure. The grin was gone almost as soon as it came.   
  


“Thanks,” he said before pulling his shirt on and standing up. Betty watched him.   
  


“You can’t...” she began, and he turned to look at her. “I just wanted to help. Okay?” He was silent for a long time.   
  


“I know,” he finally said. “You would-“ He paused as if thinking. “You would be a good queen, Betty. In another life.”   
  


She looked at him sideways, unsure of exactly whatever that meant. She looked down at her wrist, just as it throbbed, sending a cord of pain up her arm. She needed to ice it. And make sure Cheryl hadn’t murdered Jellybean while she was gone. She stood and nodded to Jughead.   
  


“You’ll do better next time,” she said. “If you need a shield against Hiram... I’m used to his bellowing.” Jughead almost chuckled. Almost.   
  


“Sounds good,” he said. Betty nodded and walked towards his door, opening it and giving him one last glance over her shoulder before she left and shut the door behind her. As she stood there, a slow smile spread on her face, and her cheeks heated. The image of him sitting there shirtless flashed in her mind, and an involuntary flood of heat warmed her abdomen.   
  


“Betty?” a familiar voice sounded from behind her. Betty turned around with a question in her eyes. There, stood Veronica. Her raven hair almost glinted silver in the moonlight, and she wore a small shift, that barely covered her body. “What are you doing in Jughead’s room?” she asked, looking between the door and her. Betty looked at the door as if she forgot who’s room she had just been in.   
  


“Oh. Well; I just wanted to talk to him. Late-night wedding stuff. He just got back from the deal, so... what were you doing?” Betty asked. Veronica smiled, a blush creeping on her cheeks. Betty’s stomach churned.   
  


“I just wanted to talk,” she said. Bullshit. Betty nodded. 

“Okay. Have fun. Goodnight, V,” And with that, Betty quickly walked away, back all the way down the hall, to her hotel room.   
  


But when Betty paused, a frown on her face, her face heated for a different reason, she turned to look at Veronica one last time. What she saw unnerved her. Veronica didn’t go into Jughead’s room. She went into the room next to his. She went into Archie’s room. Betty quickly went into her room and shut the door behind her, locking it and placing a hand over her chest. _Shit._ Everything was so messed up right now. Then she remembered.   
  


Jellybean.   
  


She blew out a breath and decided it might be nice to talk to her. About stupid things that teenagers liked to talk about. And forget about this whole night. Betty nodded and then turned toward that door that connected their rooms. She walked toward the door and turned the handle, surprised to find the door unlocked. She walked in and plastered on a smile but froze as soon as she looked up. Horror crept into her. As if the night couldn’t get any worse.   
  


She saw Jellybean laying on her back, on the bed. Sweet Pea was hovering over her, between her legs, and was wearing no shirt. Jellybean had been fumbling with the buckle on his belt. Their lips were so swollen. When they both heard the door open they looked to Betty, the color draining from their faces. Betty flinched and quickly covered her eyes with a hand, though there was nothing really to see. If she walked in a few moments later... oh hell no.   
  


“Sorry!” she said quickly, turning around and shutting the door quickly behind her. She could hear Jellybean calling her name frantically, but ignored it. She knew what was going on between them but... now she was actually involved. Now it was official. She was in on their little secret. If Jughead found out she knew his best friend was fucking his sister... she didn’t even know why that thought occurred to her. She didn’t give a shit if Jughead hated her or not.   
  


She suddenly felt like she saw a lot of things tonight that she wasn’t supposed to see. Too many things. Too many secrets. Her head hurt. She sat on her bed and buried her face in her hands. When a door opened she snapped her head up to see Jellybean and Sweet Pea walk in. Betty quickly put her hands up in defense.   
  


“I didn’t see anything-“ 

“Don’t tell Jughead,” Jellybean said sternly. Gone was the immature, bubbly teenager. This was a Serpent Princess who would not be wronged by a Ghoulie.   
  


“What?”   
  


“Do _not_ tell Jughead. Or I swear... I’ll make you regret it,” she said, getting in Betty’s face. It was almost laughable. Betty could most certainly detain Jellybean if she wanted. But she wouldn’t. And she didn’t laugh. She just nodded understandingly. Sweet Pea’s face was unreadable. But a hint of nervousness was there in his body language. Betty nodded to him.   
  


“I wasn’t planning on it,” she finally said. Both of them seemed to relax at that. “Anything to defy that prick-no offense. Frankly, I don’t give a shit about your sex life. I won’t tell anyone. But let me warn you, I already knew. You two need to do a better job of hiding it. And if you’re having drama don’t scream it from the rooftops,” Betty said simply. Sweet Pea gaped at her. Betty looked at him. “The party. I saw you two arguing.” Understanding clouded his features. “Just... be careful. Now leave. I’m tired. And I better not wake up in the middle of the night.”   
  


Jellybean’s face heated bud Sweet Pea just put his hands in his pockets. Betty almost gagged. “Leave,” she repeated. They didn’t hesitate that time. They left her, and Betty fell back on her bed in exasperation. Too much, too much, too much.   
  


Pulling her pants off and crawling under the blankets, she turned the lamp light off and closed her eyes. She missed her own bed. There was no point in trying to feel better now that she was in Maine. Malachi proved he would find her wherever she went. Instead, she begged sleep to just take her and help her forget about this whole shit show. Sleep took her.   
  


_”I can’t do this,” she sobbed, keeping her hands open. She wouldn’t do it. She would not do what he was asking her. Her older brother stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her.  
_

_“Betty, you can do this. It’s okay. You need to do this,” he said coaxingly, closing her fingers around the gun. “Kill the fucker. You can do it.”  
  
_

_Prom night. The best night of your life, they said. A night you won’t forget. A night when teenagers lost their virginity and danced until their feet ached for the next three weeks. But for Betty, it was the worst night of her life. It was the opposite of everything everyone said it was. It was death.  
_

_“It’s me or him,” Charles snapped. Betty sobbed harder and shook her head. She shook her head so hard it hurt._ _  
_

_  
“Please don’t make me choose,” she begged._ _  
_

_“He’s a murderer. He’s going to kill you.” Charles’s hands left hers, and she still held the gun. “He will kill you if you do not kill him first,” he whispered in his sister's ear. A choking sound came out from her throat.  
_

_“I don’t want to. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t,” she put a hand on her forehead, wishing she could wake up from this nightmare that was reality. And then the sound broke through everything.  
_

_The sound of her sons completely stopped, Charles sucked in a breath. The music seemed to fade into the background. The sound of metal against metal screeched through the empty halls. It was bone grinding. Charles only grinned a wicked grin that would have the pressure on Betty’s bladder ease.  
_

Betty shot upright, her mouth open in a scream. Except she wasn’t screaming. The dread that filled her eased slightly at the realization. It was just a dream. A memory. It was over now. She was safe. Sun streamed in through the nearest window, and a loud banging against her door had her flinching.   
  


“Come on, Cooper we’re going to the diner across the road for breakfast!” Cheryl yelled, and then footsteps followed as she walked away. Betty only stared at the blank wall in front of her. It was a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. She nodded as if to convince herself. And then she threw the sheets back.   
  


She had been the last one to show up at the diner, walking in and across the room to the table her companions were all at. She knew she must have looked like hell because when she looked in the mirror that morning, her eyes had been hollow and her wrist was swollen. She iced it before leaving and wore a jacket to hide it. Jughead was the only one who noticed it when she walked over to the table and took a seat next to Veronica.   
  


His eyes dipped to her wrist, and then away and back to his food as he had never been looking. She was grateful that he was so subtle. Grateful he didn’t say anything to everyone. A ghost of a smile curved Betty’s lips, but something heavy still sat in her stomach. She dragged a hand through her hair and placed an elbow on the table, cupping her cheek with a hand.   
  


Everyone was acting weird. Besides Cheryl, Jughead, Toni, Reggie, and Fangs, everyone was uptight and awkward. Betty was the only one who noticed _that_. Sweet Pea’s eyes kept darting towards her and back to his plate. Veronica looked up at Archie every so often. He was better at pretending she _didn’t_ sneak into his room last night. To do what, Betty had no idea. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions. 

Toni glared at Cheryl once, but to Cheryl’s credit, she ignored it. Betty almost felt proud. Almost. She let out an inaudible sigh. Serpents and Ghoulies. To everyone else in that diner, they might have looked like a normal group of friends. She almost snorted at that.   
  


“So, are we leaving tomorrow?” Betty asked. Reggie answered first. 

“Seven in the morning,” he clarified. Toni let out an irritable groan that had Reggie looking bewildered. Jughead smiled, amusement dancing in his eyes. Betty stared. When his eyes met here, she quickly looked away. Perhaps too quickly.   
  


“That is way too early,” Toni remarked.   
  


“We were going to leave at six originally but-“ Before Reggie could finish, Toni let out another groan of protest. Reggie rolled his eyes, but Betty let out a giggle.   
  


Everyone snapped their heads toward her in utter surprise. Her giggles turned into full-on laughs as she tipped her head back. Jughead looked bewildered. Veronica looked concerned. Betty didn’t stop laughing until a full minute later. And by then her stomach hurt and she was wiping tears from her eyes. Reggie was glaring murderously now. Toni had one raised eyebrow, but a smile on her lips.   
  


“Maybe I should pursue a career in comedy with Betty as my number one fan,” she muttered. Fangs grinned at her. Betty’s face heated. 

  
“Sorry,” she muttered. Toni waved a hand. 

“Don’t be. By the way, might I comment on how utterly horrible you boys look. You too, Betty, though you look considerably better,” Toni said. She looked at Jughead then. “You look the worst.” It was true, Jughead had a purple eye, Archie a split lip, Reggie a cut on his brow, and Sweet Pea a swollen cheek. Jellybean seemed to be looking at him as if he was more attractive than ever, despite this. Betty wanted to kick her shin under the table.   
  


But when Betty had looked in the mirror that morning she did notice the bruising around her neck, from that man’s hands. At least she didn’t have to blame _that_ on Malachi. _Malachi._ Her head throbbed at just the thought of his name. And so did her wrist. As if reading her mind, Jughead was staring at her. She averted her gaze. 

She ignored him. She ignored them all. Fading into her own private world, her mind brought her back to that hallway, with strobe lights coming in from the gym a few hallways away. Her older brother whispering in her ear telling her to kill their father.   
_  
Fuck._


	12. In the Clouds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge trigger warning for this chapter. There will be some pretty graphic, abusive scenes and manipulation. If any of that makes you feel uncomfortable, I suggest not reading this chapter. By now you guys know that it plays a significant part in the storyline, but I still wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't put trigger warnings, so sorry if it's annoying. This will probably be the last one I put.
> 
> Also completely unrelated but I want to interact with you guys more. So, I'm going to become a lot more active on my tumblr. (It's the same username; classybetts). I'll be posting updates, things related to my fan fics, etc. Anyway, I love you all, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Betty blew out a breath through her mouth. She was so happy to be back in Riverdale. She couldn't imagine understanding why anyone would want to _live_ in Maine. It would just smell like fish and be raining constantly. Although, it was April. She waved to Reggie and smiled her goodbye before he drove away, and then she climbed the steps to her trailer. She really needed to get an apartment. But it was just so expensive. Paying rent this way was easier. That didn't mean she liked it. She unlocked the door with her keys and took a step inside. 

She was about to take her jacket off when Malachi came out of nowhere, the look of pure rage and murder on his face. Betty's heart plummeted into her stomach. And the feeling she had before... the feeling of being glad she was _home_... it was gone. Maine sounded like paradise all of a sudden. She put a smile on her face anyway, and slid her jacket off, draping it over the back of a chair nearest to her. 

"Howdy, stranger," she said calmly, trying to hide her shaking hands behind her rear. She forced herself to meet his gaze. "What are you doing here?" 

"We need to talk," he said coldly. He took a step closer until he was directly in front of her. She tried so hard not to yield a step to him. She just looked up and met his brown eyes with her green ones. 

"About what?" she asked calmly. Silence filled the space. He didn't say anything. A heartbeat past. Betty blinked. Waiting. "Well if you're just going to be an asshole and waste my time, you can leave. I'm very tired and I have work tomorrow-" Faster than she could react, faster than she could even comprehend, he wrapped his hand around her throat and slammed her back against the wall. Pain exploded in her head and she winced, feeling the pain in her head before registering her blocked airways. 

" _I told you_ ," he spat. "Not to get out of the car. And what do you do? You got out of the car. Do you care about him? Huh?" Betty clawed at his hands, gasping for air that didn't make it down her throat. "Do you?" he yelled in her face. 

"Who?" she choked out. He laughed, and the sound made her want to crawl under her bed and never come out. She pleaded with her eyes. She couldn't _breathe_. She regretted ever taking air for granted. 

"Jones! Who would give a shit if he got gutted in the street? Not me. Would you? Do you want to _fuck_ him? Is that it? Do you think about him fucking you when I'm here?" he asked, getting close to her face. It felt like her eyes were too big for their eye sockets. Blackness crept at the edge of her vision. She used all the energy she had left to shake her head. He let go. 

She gasped, trying to get as much air in her windpipes as she could, collapsing to the floor. With one hand she gripped her throat, with the other, she pressed it against the floor, keeping herself from completely keeling over. Malachi didn't care. He didn't rush to make sure she was okay. He leaned over the table, shaking his head. As if _she_ had hurt _him._ She stared at him incredulously, still gripping her throat. She wanted to take one of those kitchen knives and slit his throat with it. She wanted to laugh while he bled to death, trying to ask her _why._ But when he looked at her, she hadn't felt such fear since... since... She closed her eyes in defeat. 

"Why did you do that?" he asked, kneeling so he was level with her. "Huh?" He gripped her face in one hand and forced her to look at him. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She shook her head slowly. 

"I'm sorry," she choked out. "I'm so sorry." She began to sob. Her head hurt, and her throat felt like it was _swelling._ She was so, so, so tired. Malachi dropped his head on her shoulder, kissing her neck softly. It felt like his kisses seeped into her skin and poisoned her. She wanted him to _stop._ She begged anyone who was listening to _make it stop._ But she couldn't form the words. She wouldn't. 

"You know I love you," he said into her ear. And there it was. She bit her lip to keep another sob from escaping. How did this happen? 

"I love you too," she whispered, even as she felt completely, and utterly empty while saying it. He pulled away, and smiled at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He kissed her mouth, and she tried to kiss him back. She _tried._ When she pulled away, his brows furrowed. Her gut squeezed at that look, but she gave him her best smile. "Can you just... I need to go to the bathroom, but I'll meet you in bed," she said, her voice barely a whisper. He nodded and stood up, walking into her bedroom. 

With shaky arms, she pushed herself up and went into her bathroom, shutting the door and locking it behind her. When she turned to the mirror, she froze. The woman standing on the other side of that mirror... she didn't recognize her. Pale, scared, bruises everywhere. Growing up, she watched movies with women getting beaten by men. Falling in love and then choosing not to believe their boyfriends were sociopathic assholes. And every single time, it seemed too ridiculous to her. 

But this was different. Because she did not _love_ Malachi. Maybe she wanted to. Maybe she was sick of being alone, so being in a relationship... it didn't sound so bad. But she didn't realize it. She didn't realize how poisonous it would be. Toxic. She thought of Jughead, looking at her wrists. Her neck. The look of utter concern. How... gentle he could be despite who he is and what he does. 

_Do you think about fucking him?_

, Of course, she didn't. He was supposed to marry her best friend in five months. But she couldn't help but think... what would it be like? Would he choke her, or hit her? An image appeared in her head. Jughead, seeing his sister appear out of nowhere, declaring that she would be going with them on their trip to Maine. Nobody else saw it. But Betty did. How utterly afraid he was. How much he genuinely cared about Jellybean. And then... the way he was around Veronica. He was _nice_. Maybe not nice. But he was good. Malachi was not. Despite Jughead being a gang leader, or calling Betty names, or any of it. And then it hit her. The bar was on the floor. 

"Betty?" Malachi called from the other room. She flinched. 

"Coming," she called, her voice shaky. She took off her clothes, slowly. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, and it took time. She finally came out of the bathroom, shutting the light off and welcoming the darkness. And then she crawled into bed. 

She barely registered Malachi climbing on top of her or... inside of her. She didn't feel any of it. It didn't feel _good_. Not like it used to. She felt completely empty. And not even he filled her when he was finished. When she felt him slip out and collapse next to her, it hurt. That place between her legs hurt. It was over before she even remembered what was happening. 

"Goodnight," he said into the darkness. Betty stared at the ceiling, that dullness taking over. 

"Goodnight," she mumbled, although, he was already asleep.

Betty always thought Polly would end up in a position like her. It was a morbid, horrible thought, but... Polly was always more likely. She got pregnant at sixteen. But maybe that was the difference between them. Polly didn't shoot their father in the head. Charles didn't tell her to do it. He didn't... he didn't try to frame her. Betty squeezed her eyes shut. That was the night she stopped being Elizabeth Cooper. The night she no longer cared about cheerleading or school grades. Now she was just... Betty. And everybody saw her as the Black Hoods daughter. Scary. Dangerous. If they knew what Malachi had started doing, what she had allowed him to do... how quickly their opinions would change. 

They would no longer be afraid of her. And that scared her. 

The next morning, Betty was standing in front of her mirror, attaching the clasp to the thick choker she had put around her neck. She twisted the choker so the clasp was behind her neck, and looked in the mirror. It hid the purple-black bruise that had formed around her neck at least. Her eyes were no longer bloodshot. The headache, on the other hand, hadn't gone away. Malachi came up behind her and smiled, kissing her temple. Betty smiled back at him through the mirror, though it didn't reach her eyes. 

"Will you do a favor for me?" he whispered in her ear. No. 

"Of course," she said. It wasn't her saying the words. She was on autopilot. She didn't want to be in control anymore. 

"I need you to deliver a package for me." He kissed her neck. "Get the money, and bring it to me. I'll buy you something special with it." 

"What's in the package?" Betty asked. 

"It's in your car," was all he said, before walking away. "Highway 205, eight o'clock," he called as he left. Betty stood there another moment after he had left.

After nodding to herself, she grabbed her keys and her purse and walked out the door, getting in her car and slamming the door shut behind her. She looked at the brown bag in the passenger's seat, placed strategically. She plucked up the bag and looked inside without hesitation. She frowned at what she saw inside. Marijuana, in a clear zip-lock bag. Betty raised an eyebrow and dropped the bag in her lap. 

"You have got to be _fucking_ kidding me," she muttered, before tossing the bag in her glove compartment. "I'm not your fucking drug dealer." Rubbing a hand over her face, she let out a frustrated groan. After a few more minutes, she threw her hands up in defeat and turned on the engine, pulling away from the trailer and driving towards the bar. 

By the time she got inside, Cheryl was leaning over the bar, her elbows placed on either side of a book, her voluptuous red hair hanging around her like a curtain. When she looked up she smiled, but her smile faltered slightly after taking in Betty. 

"You okay?" she asked. Betty nodded tightly as she walked behind the bar, hanging her jacket up on a hook. "I like the choker," she said, staring at the black lace around Betty's neck. 

"Thanks," Betty said pertly. 

"Betty," Cheryl said seriously. Betty looked up, meeting her friend's gaze. 

"What?" 

"You never wear chokers," she whispered. "You look like you haven't slept all night." Betty straightened her shoulders, and looked Cheryl in her eyes, before grinning like a dog. 

"Because I didn't," she said. Cheryl crossed her arms over her chest, a look of concern clouding her features. "Malachi just... missed me too much. He got a little rough and... well if you use know Cheryl, I like it when a guy chokes me a little while we fuck," Betty said. Cheryl blinked rapidly. Not what she expected. "I just didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea? Would you like me to go into great detail about our night together?" 

"No," Cheryl said immediately. She looked half unconvinced, half disgusted. But the more she registered Betty's words, the more she cringed. That was good enough. "I do _not_ want to hear about _that._ " Betty swallowed hard, relief flooding through her. 

"Good. Now help me look at wedding venues," Betty said, pulling her laptop out of her bag and setting it on the bar. Nobody would be coming in. Betty could already tell it was going to be a slow day. Maybe one or two day-drinkers would show up. Nothing she and Cheryl couldn't handle. 

An hour later, Betty was scrolling through a website, Cheryl picking at her nails next to her. "It's going to be warm still in September. Not super warm but... perfect for outside," Betty said, squinting at the screen. "They're expensive." 

"You have a budget of one hundred grand," Cheryl said, waving her hand dismissively. 

"But-" 

"You want to go all cheap on your wedding? Go ahead. But if Veronica's wedding doesn't look like it came out of Cinderella, she _will_ throw a fit," Cheryl said. But Betty stopped hearing her completely. An image had formed in her head. 

_Her wedding._

She imagined herself. Marrying Malachi. Did he even have any family? She felt like she was going to throw up. What if they had kids? 

"Betty?" Cheryl asked, the arrogance in her tone fading. 

_No._ Of course she wasn't going to marry Malachi. She reminded herself that the thought of marrying _anyone_ was just unacceptable. Except... that wasn't true. Betty turned to Cheryl and smiled weakly. 

"Something tells me that isn't Jughead's style," she said. A look of relief flashed in Cheryl's eyes and she smiled, parting her lips to reveal straight white teeth against bright red lipstick. 

"You're right. But it's Hiram's money. And Veronica is Hiram's daughter," Cheryl said, going back to picking at her nails. The sickly feeling didn't leave Betty, but she continued to scroll down through the website anyway. 

"How about you?" Betty asked. Cheryl raised her eyebrows, still looking at her nails. "Any lucky girls?" 

"Pfft, no," Cheryl said. "Definitely not." She didn't say anything further, and Betty didn't ask. "By the way... I think Sweet Pea is fucking Jughead's sister." Betty almost choked. 

"Why would you think that?" 

"Because the other night at the hotel, Toni was looking for him. She was worried because he came back from that deal with the others but then immediately disappeared. When we walked to his room..." A smirk formed on Cheryl's face. "Well, let's just say, he wasn't _murdering_ her in there. At least I hope not." 

"It's none of your business, Cheryl," Betty said, trying her best not to seem frantic. She didn't even know why she cared. Instinct told her it was best either Jellybean or Sweet Pea told Jughead themselves. If Cheryl or Toni outed them... the results would not be good. Then again, Betty doubted Jughead would be very welcoming of the idea in _general_. A shiver went down her spine. Nope. None of her business. 

"Well Toni already threatened to slit my throat if I told Jughead so..." Cheryl shrugged. "Something tells me Jughead is the only one who _doesn't_ know. How messy." Cheryl clicked her tongue in distaste. Betty shook her head and clicked on the search bar to type something when her phone started vibrating on the table. It was an unknown number.

Betty picked it up before Cheryl could see. "I'll be back," she said as she stood up and took a step outside. "Hello?" she said as she answered. 

Immediately an automatic voice filled her ear. "You are receiving a call from an inmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Do you accept the charges?" the voice asked. Betty put a hand on her forehead. 

"Yes," she said quickly. A dialing noise filled the silence, and then the sound of metal clinging against metal, and shouting in the background filled her ear. 

"Betty?" Jughead's asked. His voice sounded gravelly and exhausted. 

"Jughead? Oh my god, what happened?" 

"I... I got into a fight," he said quietly. 

"Five minutes!" someone in the background yelled. Jughead let out a long breath. 

"Can you come bail me out? There's some cash in my trailer. Under the floorboard under my bed. I need... I need a grand," he whispered. She could barely hear him. 

"A grand? What the _hell_ , Jughead? Why can't you call one of the Serpents?" 

"Because I don't want them to see me like this," he said, sounding more genuine than ever. "And... I know you don't care." Her heart squeezed at that. She closed her eyes and shook her head. 

"New York City is four hours away," she remarked. "You want me to drive four hours to get you and then drive you four hours back?" 

"I'll pay for gas, just take whatever money you need out of my trailer. My time's almost up, please Betty I don't get another phone call after this until Tomorrow," he said, rushing his words. 

"Let's go," someone in the background said. 

"Betty-" 

"I'll come get you, okay, just go. Calm down," she said. She wasn't even sure if he heard her because the line went dead immediately after she was done talking. Betty rolled her eyes. If she went, she would miss Malachi's drug deal. But she didn't care. 

She didn't care as she walked back into the bar and shut her laptop, shoving it into her bag and grabbing her keys. Cheryl looked up, confused. "What's wrong?" she asked. 

"Polly needs me," Betty said, before walking out the door. She didn't answer any of Cheryl's shouted questions. She would just have to be fine with the lie Betty told her and stick with it. 

Betty drove to the Southside in Riverdale and went to his trailer. The door was locked, but after looking in the oddly placed plant on the side, she found a spare key. She did exactly as Jughead told her to do. Moved his bed, moved the floorboards, and got out one grand, putting it in her bag. She hesitated at first, looking at all the cash that had been stored there. Her mind raced. Questions formed. How did he get all the money? But she supposed it didn't matter. Not as she stuffed the money in her bag, replaced the floorboards, and moved the bed back to its original place. 

When she got on the freeway, she started out going over the speed limit but then realized it would probably take more time if she got pulled over and had to deal with an officer giving her a ticket. She turned her head and looked straight at the glove compartment. _And there was also that._

"Shit!" she yelled, pounding the steering wheel. She should have dropped the weed off at her house. Or flushed it down the toilet. She considered pulling it over and just throwing it into the woods, but decided against it. Instead, she kept her eyes on the road and pushed the drugs out of her mind. Along with Malachi. 

By the time Betty got into the _city_ the sun had set and the sky was turning a dark blue. The city lights made up for it anyway. She had sat in traffic for half an hour, remembering that owning your own car in New York City had zero benefits. But when she did eventually pull into the parking lot of the Metropolitan Correctional Center, she rushed through the doors, and up to the front desk. The lady behind it gave her an incredulous look. 

"I'm here to bail someone out," Betty said. She raised an eyebrow. 

"You're too late," she said. Betty's eyes widened slightly, and she wondered if that was hysteria now taking over. "It's seven-thirty. We stopped taking bail an hour ago. Come back tomorrow." She smiled, chewing on her gum even more for emphasis, before looking down at her monitor. Betty glared at the woman, and when the hag looked up again, something like fear in her eyes shown. 

"Give me the _fucking_ bail forms right this god damn second," Betty said. The lady flinched but didn't make a move to do anything. " _Now_ ," Betty snapped. She got moving, pulling a packet out of the cabinet next to her and handing it to Betty, looking aghast. Betty smiled serenely at her. "I need a pen," she said. When the secretary hesitantly handed her a pen, she snatched it and walked over to the closest chair, crossing one leg over the other and taking her time answering the questions, trying to slow down her beating heart. 

After a few minutes, she stood up, and handed the secretary the filled out packet. While the secretary argued with one of the correctional officers, Betty felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. As she pulled it out and looked at the name shining at the top of the screen, she cringed. It was Reggie. When the ringing stopped and the screen went back to her home screen, she realized she had three texts from Veronica, eight from Reggie, and ten from Hiram. She shoved the phone back into her pocket. Later. She would deal with it later. 

The lady came back with a tight smile. "He's getting dressed," she said, before rolling her eyes and sitting down in her chair. Betty shot her another glare before sitting down. She kept bouncing her knee up and down, waiting impatiently. It felt like it was taking forever. When she heard a loud buzzing sound and then a door opened, she looked up to see Jughead, his hair a mess, and a fresh black eye accompanying him. 

Betty stood up abruptly and walked straight up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. He went _very_ stiff and didn't move for a few seconds. Eventually, she felt his arms wrap around her waist, and then his hands go to her waist before he pushed her away. She blinked at him. He was staring at her as if she had gone mad. "What the _hell_ are you doing, Cooper?" he asked incredulously. Betty stared at him, bewildered. What _was_ she doing? 

"I- Uh... welcome back to freedom. Next time don't be such an asshole and maybe you won't get locked up," she said, her voice becoming cold. He raised his eyebrows, and she walked away, wincing when he couldn't see her face, despite herself. 

In the car, he was quiet. Too quiet. Betty was silently panicking. All she could think about was the look on his face when she hugged him. She completely forgot that he was an arrogant asshole with anger issues and she hated him. Yes. That was it. He suddenly let out a long sigh and buried his face in his hands. Betty glanced at him and then back at the road. 

"So," she said nonchalantly. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

"No," he said, leaning back in his seat and looking out the window. Betty straightened her shoulders. 

"I think I have a right to know after all the shit I did tonight. I missed... a very important event for this," she said, frowning. Yeah, because doing your boyfriend's drug deals was very important. Suddenly the image of Malachi standing in front of her in the dark with his hands wrapped around her throat flashed in her mind. Twice. That had happened twice. She shivered, focusing on the road. _Not now, not now._

She realized Jughead was staring at her, a soft look on his face. She looked at him and then back at the road. "What the fuck are you staring at? Tell me what happened," she said. She silently begged him not to ask _her_ what her problem was. Because if he did... she would push him away and possibly scream. But he didn't. He looked away, the soft look gone. 

"I fucked up," he said with a shrug. "I was thinking... about what would have happened if I didn't give a shit about the Serpents. If I just left it after high school as I should have. And I went to college and then I... I dropped out." He laughed, shaking his head, and letting his head drop on the headrest. Betty forced her eyes to stay on the road. "And now I'm getting married. And for what? So a couple of... stupid fucking gangs can merge and we can end our rivalry? I mean what the _fuck?_ " Betty burst into a fit of laughter, and Jughead looked at her with bewilderment. She slapped the steering wheel and held her stomach. "What?" he asked, narrowing his eyebrows. 

"Jughead... I think that's the smartest thing I've ever heard you say," she said. She looked at him, glaring at her, and watched his glare turn into a grin. He laughed and shook his head. 

"You're such a bitch," he said, causing Betty to laugh even harder than before. "God... I don't want to go home and explain to Archie that I just almost spent a night in jail because I had a quarter-life crisis," he said. Betty looked at him. 

"A quarter-life crisis?" she asked, her voice full of doubt. 

"Or a mid-life crisis. I could die when I'm forty-six," he said. Betty snorted and rolled her eyes. 

"I have something else we can do," she said. He looked intrigued. 

"Yeah?" he asked. She nodded. 

"Have you ever done this before?" Jughead asked, sitting in the backseat with Betty next to him. They were parked on the side of the highway. 

"No, have you?" she asked, rolling up the tiny piece of paper. 

"No," he said flatly. Betty looked up at him. 

"Liar." 

"I'm being serious. Does it look like I do drugs?" 

"Yes," Betty said. Jughead grinned, and she laughed lightly, holding up the rolled-up paper. "It's done." 

"Handled like a stoner," Jughead said. Betty shoved him. 

"Shut up," she said. "Do you have a lighter?" He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and handed it to her. She stared at him. "What, I'm going first?" 

"Yeah, it's your weed," he said as if that much was obvious. 

"it's Malachi's," she said, flicking open the lighter and putting one tip of the blunt between her lips, while she lit the other side. Jughead frowned. 

"Wait what?" he asked, but she was already inhaling. The longer she did it, the wider Jughead's eyes went. When she _finally_ stopped, she held it in before blowing it out, coughing as she did so. "Jesus, Betty," he muttered. She smiled. 

"Your turn," she said, holding it out to him. He let out a sigh before taking it and pressing one side between his lips. He took less time than Betty, but he didn't cough when he released, and his eyes kind of glazed over. Betty felt bubbly laughter rise in her for absolutely no reason at all. Jughead leaned back in his seat and grinned. 

It was like that for a few minutes. They passed the blunt between them and talked nonsense. Though Betty would burst into a fit of giggles for no reason now and then, Jughead had a different reaction. He was utterly calm. It seemed like he was half asleep, but he was still talking. Slowly. It was only when Betty saw flashing red and blue lights coming up from behind that her eyes widened. Jughead looked through the rear windshield and cursed under his breath. 

"Oh _shit_ ," Betty said. "Take your pants off," she said to Jughead. He frowned. 

"What? No, I'm not taking my pants off." 

"Take your pants off _now_ ," she snapped. 

"I'm not going to-"

"Okay have fun in jail," she said, holding up the bag of marijuana. He rolled his eyes before unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. Satisfied, Betty threw the marijuana in the trunk and then grabbed perfume from her bag, spraying it in the car. Jughead cringed and waved his hand. Betty heard a car door slam and worked faster, tossing the perfume in the trunk as well and then pulling her shirt off. Jughead's eyes widened. She wasn't wearing anything underneath. 

It was probably the weed, but he stared directly at her chest, and didn't look away until he came to his senses and frowned. "Wait, what are you doing-" His eyes widened as she climbed onto his lap. "Oh, _no. No, no-_ " 

Betty covered his mouth with her hand. "Shut up and grab my ass," she hissed. He cringed. Betty rolled her eyes. "You aren't supposed to be the one complaining," she said, grabbing his hands and setting them on her hips instead. He looked at her breasts and raised his eyebrows. 

"I mean I'm not-" 

"Shut up, asshole," she whispered, before running her hands all through his hair, and then leaning down so her face was buried in his neck. The cold air that peaked her nipples cut off as she pressed her breasts up against his chest, and felt his breath against her back. She slowly raised her head and looked up, to see him watching her. They were so close. She had never been this close to him. His eyes lingered on hers and then traveled down to her lips. 

The thud on the glass had her jumping, shifting her hips, earning a groan from Jughead. Betty looked down at him with wide eyes. He gave her an apologetic wince. "I'm high right now," he whispered. Betty rolled her eyes, looking up and rolling down the window, grabbing her shirt from the floor and covering herself. A flashlight shined in her face and she squinted against the brightness. Jughead looked up at the officer that was now looking between them. He looked down at Jughead, and Jughead grinned at him. "Don't mind me, I'm just having the time of my life right now," he said. Betty bounced once and he pressed his lips together, stopping the sound that might have come out of him. 

"What are you two doing out here on the side of the road?" he asked. Betty opened her mouth to respond, but Jughead did instead. 

"Oh, we're reading bible verses. Want to join?" he asked. Betty glared at him. He winked at her. She then smiled up at the officer. 

"I'm so sorry, officer. I just picked him up at the airport, and I haven't seen him in about five months. I just hate his job so much. We can be on our way home right now. Again, I am so sorry," Betty said, looking apologetic. Jughead looked up at her incredulously. The man looked between them, before rolling his eyes. 

"Go home," he ordered, before walking away. Jughead gaped at the open window. Betty didn't move until they could no longer see the flashing lights. Then they looked at each other. 

"What kind of job do I have that I have to be away for five months?" Jughead asked. Betty scoffed. 

"You're a dick," she said, and then moved to get off of him. She froze, and then looked at him again. He was looking away from her, staring at the ceiling. "Jughead," she said calmly. He still didn't look at her. She continued to glare at him. "Jughead!" 

"Stop looking at me, you're making it worse," he said. Against her pants, through the fabric of his boxers, she could feel _him_. Hard against her. A warmth spread deep inside her, and she moved again, to get off of him. "Can you put a shirt on?" he asked, concentrating hard on the ceiling. Betty stayed silent as she slipped her shirt on, handing him his pants. He took them without looking at her. "Sorry," he muttered once his pants were on. 

Betty just shook her head and then laughed, dropping her face into her hands. "I can't believe I did that," she said. 

"Yeah, you're definitely going to hell," Jughead said. Betty looked at him and laughed harder. He just grinned. She let her eyes drop to his knuckles, at the bruises there, both new and healing. He followed her gaze and made a fist with his hand before relaxing it. 

"Maybe we both are," she said softly. He looked at her and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Betty let out a small sigh. "I can't drive," she said honestly. Jughead laughed at that. 

"I can. I'll drive you home and then call a taxi from your place," he said. Betty gave him a thankful glance before they went back up to the front. 

An hour later, Jughead pulled up in front of her trailer. Betty felt dizzy but eerily calm. He helped her out of the car and then walked her up the steps to her door. She turned to him and then leaned back against the wall of the trailer. He put his hands in his pockets and smiled at her. His eyes were red. She assumed hers were too. 

"Thank you," he said. "I'm serious. Not only did you bail me out of jail... you forced me to have fun." Betty shrugged. 

"Can you just do me a favor?" she asked. He waited expectantly. "Can you forget the image of my tits?" He laughed quietly at that. 

"No, that's seared in there," he said, tapping his temple. Betty rolled her eyes, but the smile remained. For a moment, they just looked at each other. Betty didn't realize how close Jughead was getting until he leaned in and kissed her. She was surprised at first, but then she opened her mouth for him, reaching her hands up and dragging her hands through his hair, savoring his hot tongue against her own. _Wait. What the fuck._ The thought hit her like a ton of bricks. 

She tried to pull away, but his arms were around her waist. Biting his lip as hard as she could, she slapped him hard across the face. He let out a groan and held that side, squeezing his eyes shut and wincing. "Oh, Betty what the fu-" 

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Betty yelled. 

"I was just-" 

"You're marrying my best friend." 

"I know. Okay, I'm sorry," he stood up straight, glaring at her. "I didn't know you were going to slap the _shit_ out of me!" 

"What did you expect me to do?" she asked incredulously. "I have a boyfriend. Okay? And I think we're both high so this was a huge mistake. Next time you _fuck up_ , call someone else," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. But it didn't look like he was listening. He was looking at her neck. She pressed her hand to her neck and froze. Her choker fell off. He looked at her face with bloodshot eyes. Tears stung her own. 

"He hurts you," he whispered. Betty felt her heart began to race. 

"He _loves_ me," she snapped. He shook his head silently. 

"Why do you let him hurt you? You don't deserve that," he said, so quietly she almost didn't hear him. She wished she didn't. She straightened her shoulders and dropped her hand. 

"Go home, Jughead. Leave me alone." Without another word, she went inside and clicked the door shut. 

She leaned back against the door and shut her eyes, feeling hot tears slide down her cheeks. All she could think about was the broken look on his face. And it was _for_ her. She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders rising and falling as she sobbed silently. 

"Well," a voice said from the darkness. Betty froze. _No._ "That was certainly interesting." She slowly looked up to see Malachi rise from the chair he was sitting in. _Waiting_ in. "You blow off my meeting to go help Jughead fucking Jones... you smoke _my_ weed with him. My sworn enemy. And from the sounds of it... you really _are_ fucking him." Betty quickly shook her head. 

"No. No, Kai... did you hear what I said about you? I told him no. Okay? I told him-" She didn't get to finish her sentence before pain exploded on the whole right side of her face. She collapsed to the ground, the impact causing pain to explode in her ribs. He had... he had _hit_ her. She gasped for air, the wind knocked out of her. She stared up at him with wide, hysterical eyes. He brought his foot back and then kicked her right in the gut. She yelled out in pain. 

"You're a slut!" he yelled. More tears slid down her cheeks as she writhed on the floor, feeling excruciating pain everywhere. She could imagine Charles, crouching down on the floor beside her. 

_Get up,_ he would say. _Don't be so weak._ She looked up at Malachi, rearing back his foot to kick her again. He paused when the door opened, and they both looked towards the blue moonlight that flooded the area. The movement brought more pain to Betty's whole body. Jughead stood there, staring at Betty on the floor. 

" _Get out!_ " Malachi yelled. But he didn't move. He just kept staring at her, so silent. So still. There was no emotion on his face. "Get out!" Malachi repeated. Jughead finally looked at Malachi. The look he had in his eyes... it could kill. Betty knew. That wasn't Jughead. That was the Serpent King. 

His nostrils flared, the more he looked at Malachi. Malachi frowned, unimpressed. The only emotion he had written all over his face, was anger. One second, Jughead was standing there, that cool calculating look on his face. The next, he was stalking towards Malachi. Malachi made to punch him, but he caught his wrist, shoving him up against the wall. With his free hand, he punched Malachi, drawing blood. He did it again. Again. Betty couldn't find the energy in her to speak as she watched. Then, Jughead grabbed him by the neck and slammed his head back against the wall. 

"You are _nothing_ ," he spat. "You are shit. Look at her." Malachi just stared at Jughead, with murder in his eyes. "I said look at _her_ ," Jughead repeated, grabbing his face and forcing him to look at Betty, crumpled on the floor, feeling pathetic. "You did that. Do you know what that makes you? A coward. You're nothing but a coward. That's all you'll ever be." Malachi spat in Jughead's face. Jughead stared at him, taking his time wiping the spit from his cheek. 

Betty blinked, and Jughead was banging Malachi's head back against the wall again. Malachi's eyes rolled back for a second, but he was still conscious. "If you _ever_ , and I mean _ever_ lay another finger on her, I'll kill you," Jughead said, the intensity and rage in his voice so strong, it sung through Betty's skull. "I'll make it slow. I swear to fucking god, I will take _weeks_ to kill you. And I will make sure you feel every single second of it. You're going to leave her alone. And if I find out that you stepped within a hundred yards near her... I'm going to cut your dick off." He laughed. He actually _laughed._ "And I'll enjoy it. Tell me you understand." Malachi said nothing, he just stared at Jughead defiantly. Though, there was true fear in his eyes now. Betty didn't even see him pull it out, but he held a switchblade up, and switched it so it was open and against Malachi's throat, drawing blood. "Tell me you understand!" he yelled. 

"Jughead..." Betty croaked out. He didn't so much as look at her. 

"I understand," Malachi said, his voice low and hoarse. "You can have her." Jughead's nostrils flared, and he took the knife away. Blackness began to blur around Betty's vision. She was vaguely aware of Jughead throwing Malachi out of the trailer. Literally _throwing_ him out. And then he was kneeling beside her, his eyes full of worry. He was repeating her name over and over again. She blacked out after he picked her up. 


	13. A Small Problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of y’all are reading my other fics I WILL be updating both Silver Lining and Undercover, I just had a few pre-writes from here I wanted to upload, but anyway....

Betty had just finished doing her makeup, smiling in the mirror triumphantly. Polly had helped do her hair, but the dress... Veronica helped her pick it out. There was only one downfall to this night, really. That Veronica wasn't there. They had talked about going to prom together since they were five. But then Veronica's dad made her move to Greendale. Something about starting a new business, or something stupid like that. If she was being honest, she would be happy staying as far away from Hiram Lodge as possible. Well, her dad was close to him. So that idea went out the window. And then there was Veronica. 

Every time Betty asked Hal Cooper about his friendship with Hiram Lodge, he would completely shut down. Changing the subject, buying her gifts. It was weird. But, she didn't care. Tonight was supposed to be the best night of her high school experience. And she was going to enjoy it. 

"Betty!" her mother called from downstairs. "Trev's here." Betty wiped a finger under her eye one last time before leaving her room and walking down the stairs. When Polly and her mother saw her, they both beamed. The dress Veronica had helped pick out was a bright red, hugging her figure and falling to the floor around her. At first, Alice had hated the dress. She said red was a promiscuous color. But now, she smiled brightly as Betty walked down the stairs, taking a picture with her phone. 

But Hal wasn't there. 

"Where's dad?" Betty asked. 

"Oh, he's in Greendale with Hiram," Alice said, waving a hand dismissively. A flicker of hurt swiped through Betty, but she plastered the smile to her red-painted lips, before continuing down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, Trev, her prom date held out his elbow for her to take. 

"You look nice," he said. Betty smiled at him. 

"Thank you," she said. Alice and Polly followed them out the door, where Charles waited by his car. Betty had just turned sixteen and had her car, but Charles insisted he drive them. Now, he had a grin spread across his face that almost looked... insane. But that was just his face. Betty turned around to face her mom. 

"Be back before eleven. They still haven't caught The Black Hood," Alice warned. Betty rolled her eyes. 

"Okay, mom. I lo-" A sudden, loud sound filled the air. Alice and Polly were still smiling. Betty froze. She felt a liquid coat the skin on her back, and on her dress. She looked down. A red substance had coated the skirt of her dress, turning it a crimson color. Her whole body shaking, she looked up. There, standing next to Charles, stood a man with a black hood over his face. Holding a gun. And Trev was dead on the ground. 

Betty frowned, her throat closing up. Charles was smiling at her, his arms crossed over his chest. When she looked down again, black fingerless gloves covered her fingers, and chains hung from her neck. She wore a black lace top that stopped above her naval, and black shorts over fishnets. Her eyes felt heavy with black makeup, and her hair felt longer. She knew. She knew if she looked, under her breast would be a tattoo of skull and bones. 

"Aw, Betty," Hal said, pulling off his coat and walking over to her. "Look at you. I'm so proud. That's why you did it, didn't you? For me." He grinned, and her heart rate began to increase. He held out his arm and ripped up his sleeve, revealing a tattoo of a skull over cross-bones. She shut her eyes. "I have one too," he whispered. "Everything you did... was because of me." She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. 

A breeze went by and when she opened her eyes, she was no longer in front of her house. She was alone. In the dark halls of Riverdale High School. She gasped, taking a step back and hearing her boot scrape against the floor. She looked down. Combat boots. She wasn't in her dress. She was still... in her normal clothes. She looked around, listening for music. There was none. She let out a breath and put a hand on her forehead. 

"How the hell did I get here?" she asked, her voice echoing. She walked over to a poster. It had the current date. She let out a sigh of relief. "It's real," she whispered. 

"Why wouldn't it be real?" a familiar voice said from behind her. She froze. Slowly, so _so_ slowly, she turned around. Malachi. And Charles. God damn it. Except Malachi had makeup on. His face... it looked like someone had painted his face into the illusion of a skull. Charles was whispering in his ear. The whispers got louder. Louder. Louder. 

"Do it, do it, do it, _do it_ ," he was saying. Over and over again. Malachi raised a gun to her, and her eyes widened. "Does this look familiar?" Charles asked, finally looking at her. A sinister smile spread across his face. Malachi's finger twitched. Betty let out a scream before she jolted right-up. 

"Hey, hey, hey," a familiar voice said. She didn't care. She didn't care. She kicked and screamed and pumped her fists, keeping her eyes closed. Firm hands gripped her wrists and suddenly her legs were anchored to a soft cushion. She couldn't move. "Betty. Open your eyes!" She knew that voice. She didn't know if it was real. Please be real. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. She let out a shuddering breath of relief, despite herself. 

Jughead. It was Jughead. He was sitting on her legs and had her wrists in his grip. His grip didn't hurt, but it was firm enough to keep her from punching him. When he was sure she wouldn't kick him in the groin, he eased off her, and moved to the side, to sit on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair. He looked _exhausted_. 

"What... how long-" 

"Three days," he sighed. "You've been asleep for three days." Her eyes widened, and horror swept through her. 

"Oh my god. Veronica. Hiram. Oh shit. Oh _shit._ " 

"Relax, I took care of it," he said softly. "I texted Veronica, Cheryl, and Hiram from your phone. I pretended to be you and said you got in a little accident but you were spending a few nights in the hospital. I also made it _clear_ that they shouldn't visit you. Because there's no Betty Cooper admitted to the hospital," he explained. At the look Betty gave him, he continued, "I figured that was better than... I wasn't sure if you wanted me to tell them the truth. And I couldn't get your permission. So I lied." 

Betty bit her lip as she studied him. He didn't tear his gaze away from hers. And then it hit her. It came so suddenly that she couldn't react fast enough. She lurched forward and retched, vomiting right in his lap. She looked up to see him gaping at her. "I'm so sorry-" She didn't get time to fully apologize before she was throwing up again. Jughead let out a sigh and just gathered her hair, moving it away from her face. From a different angle, this could have looked _very_ wrong. 

Betty had fallen asleep again when she was finished. She didn't have the energy to apologize again. But Jughead didn't seem mad. She didn't have any more nightmares. When she awoke again, it was night. The room was dark and the moonlight lit up the room. Barely. Betty pushed herself up, starving, and walked out of the bedroom and to the kitchen. She turned on the light and was about to open the fridge when she froze. She looked over into the small living room and saw him. Jughead was asleep on her couch. 

As if sensing her, he slowly woke up, and raised his head, squinting at her. When he realized she was standing, he jolted up. He was wearing clean clothes. He must have gone and got them before coming back. She frowned. 

"Why... did you stay here for three days?" she asked. He looked down and then back up at her. 

"Yeah," he said softly. "I was worried about you." Betty swallowed hard. A searing pain stabbed her side and it was so strong, she almost collapsed, slamming a hand down on the counter. Jughead was there within seconds, grabbing her waist. She didn't have time to _think_ about that. She let out a choking sound, covering her mouth with one hand and grabbing onto Jughead's shoulder with the other. He supported her, and then stood there unmoving, waiting patiently. When she seemed to get steady again, he didn't move his hands. "Let me help you back to bed," he said softly. When he began to lead her away, she shook her head. 

"No, wait-I... I feel disgusting. I can't get back in that bed like this," she breathed. He looked down at her. She met his gaze with her own. 

"What do you want me to do?" he asked quietly. She bit her lip, knowing what she _had_ to ask him, but not wanting to. If she asked him to call Veronica, Cheryl, or even Reggie, she knew he would. Without hesitation. But then she would have to tell them that... that Malachi did this. And she wouldn't. 

"Can you..." She squeezed her eyes shut, her face heating. She hated herself for that. She was an _adult_. 

"Yeah," Jughead said anyway. She opened her eyes and held onto him while he led her to the bathroom. She limped slightly, her knee aching. She might have hit it when Malachi hit her. She didn't remember. She stopped and turned to Jughead, leaning against the sink. He looked down at her, questioning with his eyes. He did _not_ move his hands, as if afraid. 

"Help me," she whispered. He hesitated for another moment, watching as she grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled. He helped her pull it all the way off and then dropped it to the floor. She grabbed onto the edge of the counter, trying and failing to pull herself up. Jughead got closer to her, keeping his eyes on hers as he reached behind her thighs and picked her up, placing her on the counter. Her heart rate increased as he got between her legs and waited. She realized he was waiting for her. 

Without breaking eye contact, she unbuttoned and unzipped her pants. He grabbed the waistband of the pants with both hands on either side of her, pulling them down her thighs and legs until they were off. When a warmth gathered in her core, she forced herself to look away from him. She felt his hand go back up her thigh and grabbed his wrist. He looked at her questioningly. 

"I can do the rest," she said with a shaky voice. He nodded, removing his hand. He turned away while she took her panties off, turning the knob in the bathtub and plugging the drain. When he turned back around, he forced himself to look only at her face. "Don't look," she said firmly. 

"I'm not looking," he said softly. It was true, though it was very _hard_ not to look. He walked over, and she held out her arm. He took her arm and wrapped it around his neck before slipping his other arm under her knees and picking her up. Her skin was so warm against his. He placed her in the bath, and then stood up straight. "Okay. If you need me just..." He closed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah." 

"Jughead," Betty said, and he opened his eyes. She looked at the window. It was stupid. So, so, stupid. But all she could imagine was Malachi crawling through that window. Goosebumps erupted all over her skin. Jughead followed her line of sight. "Can you stay?" she asked. He smiled and nodded, sitting down on the toilet seat cover. When the tub filled up, Betty turned the knob until the water stopped running. Then, she hugged her knees and placed her chin on top of them. Her eyes stung. 

"Why," she choked out. Jughead looked at her, bewildered. "Why did you do that? Why didn't you just _leave_?" 

"Betty, he was going to _kill_ you. He was hurting you," Jughead said softly. A sob escaped her. 

"I know. And I let it happen. It's my fault." 

"Don't say that," he snapped. 

"I don't need you to protect me," she snapped back. 

"I know you don't," he said, his voice softening again. She continued to cry, small sobs coming out. "Okay, move," he said. She looked up just as he stood up. 

"What-" She stopped abruptly. Eyes widening. He was _getting_ in the bath. She moved forward instinctively just as he got in, clothes still on, and spread his legs so Betty was between them. They were both silent for a full minute. "You're in my bath," she said flatly. 

"Yes. It would seem I am," he said. Though she couldn't see his face from behind her, she could hear the grin in his voice. 

"Your clothes are on." 

"Would you prefer them off?" 

Her face heated. "No," she said, scowling. 

"Do you feel better now?" he asked. Betty turned her head to look at him over her shoulder incredulously. And then she couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up from deep in her throat. 

She laughed as she asked, "why would you getting in my bath make me feel better?" He started laughing with her, running wet hands through his hair, shaking his head. 

"I'm going to tell you something not a lot of people know about me, Betty," he said. Betty quieted, waiting. "I panic when girls cry." Silence filled the bathroom. Betty burst into a fit of laughter. 

"You're a gang leader-" She laughed harder. "But you panic when _girls cry_." Her ribs began to hurt from laughing so much. She could hear him laughing quietly behind her. When the silence grew again, and goosebumps began to form on Betty’s skin above the water, she shifted. “Can you help me out of here?” she asked. Jughead got up without saying anything.   
  
For a few seconds, all she could hear was the dripping and splashing of water from his clothes. And then he was holding his arm out and giving her leverage to stand up and get out. Of course, it was an excruciating process. The hot water had helped, but her whole body ached. Along with her knee, making it impossible to put pressure on that leg without collapsing. Jughead put a steady hand on her waist, while also attempting to look anywhere but at _her._

But she stopped in front of the mirror. He looked at her in confusion, until he realized what she was looking at. Her face. And body. She had a swelling bruise on her cheek that she didn’t realize was there. A bruise on the left side of her torso, explaining the way her ribs ached. A bruise on her knee and she only assumed there was a scab on the back of her head.   
  
“Don’t look,” Jughead said softly, although, she had already seen everything. She had already come to the realization. It was _her_ fault. Not Malachi’s. Not Jughead’s. But hers. The moment he laid a finger on her without her permission... she should have cut it off.   
  


She let Jughead walk her to her bed. And then get her some clothes. And when he looked down at his own sopping clothes, she told him to look in the bottom drawer of her dresser. A few minutes after disappearing into the bathroom, he came back out with clean clothes. They were slightly tight on him.   
  


“I don’t know how I feel about wearing Malachi’s clothes,” Jughead said, frowning down. Betty smiled.   
  


“Then it’s a good thing those aren’t his,” she said softly. He looked up at her with raised brows. She nodded at the blue collared button-up shirt he was wearing, and the Levi’s. “Besides... I don’t think you would catch Malachi dead in clothes like that.”

Jughead walked over and sat on the edge of her bed. He didn’t make a joke about a one night stand or an ex-boyfriend like she expected him to. Instead, he asked in a soft tone, “Whose clothes are these?” It was as if he could see the pain she felt at the sight of the untouched clothing on him. Maybe he could. Maybe it was a sixth sense of his. She could never read _him._  
  


“My brother’s,” she said softly. Jughead raised an eyebrow. 

“I didn’t know you had a brother.” 

“Veronica is the only one who does. And Hiram. When you google Betty Cooper, the only thing that will pop up is my father... Charles’ files are locked. Nobody can access them,” she explained. Jughead looked even more concerned at that.   
  


“His files?” he asked. Betty nodded.   
  


“If I tell you something... will you promise not to tell anyone? Or think of me any less than you already do?” she asked.   
  


“I never thought less of you, Betty. But yes. I promise,” he said. And she believed him.   
  


The thing was, she didn’t know why she bothered telling him _anything._ Or why he had stayed with her and... taken care of her. Just a week ago, from another’s eyes, it would have looked like they wanted to tear each other apart. Perhaps they still did. Well, Betty didn’t. But perhaps Jughead was pitying her, and being nice just because she was _that_ girl. The girl who let her boyfriend beat her. But it didn’t matter. She trusted him. She didn’t know why exactly... but it was something in his eyes. So she began to tell him.   
  


“There are so many stories of what happened that night. The night my father died. Every news station had a different story. People who claimed to be my friend spun their own stories. But the only people who know the true thing... Is me. And Veronica. Veronica knows it all. She’s the only person I ever told. And she hasn’t told anyone else, to her credit.” Betty smiled and looked up at Jughead. “If you want to know anything about your future wife, one thing is that you can tell her _anything._ And despite her character... she won’t tell another soul if you ask her not to.   
  


Jughead looked uneasy at that. She wasn’t sure if it was because he knew where this was going, or because she said the words _, future wife._ Perhaps Jughead hadn’t settled with the idea after all. Still, he nodded for her to continue.   
  


“It was prom night. You went to school with me so... you know.” She looked up to see his face. He frowned as if prom night wasn’t the best night for him either, but he said nothing. “My date was a boy named Trev. Weeks before Charles first offered to drive us. He said to think of it as if he was our chauffeur. I thought it was stupid, but the way he kept insisting was cute. He was a good older brother. He had always been.” She took a shaky breath. “Everything was normal. But we got there, we danced a little, and two hours later, Trev had gone to the bathroom and didn’t come back. I never did find out if it was my brother who killed him or my father.”   
  


At her last words, Jughead blinked. It wasn’t as much of a reaction she expected, but he was definitely surprised. But not that surprised. Betty didn’t know whether that was a good or bad thing. She continued anyway.   
  


“I went looking for him. And Charles was there.” She could see the whole thing unfold as if it happened yesterday. Her brother waiting in the hallway with his hands in his pockets. “He... he knew what our father planned. He wanted to help him do it. But what my father didn’t know is... Charles planned on getting away with all of it. By himself. My dad chased me down those halls, broke through doors, and when I was down, Charles gave me a gun. He told me to end it. He practically begged me to kill our father. I didn’t know _why._ I mean, at this point, I knew he was the Black Hood and that he was trying to kill us... or me. But Charles... I never figured out his game.” Betty shook her head, her eyes stinging.   
  


Taking a deep breath, she went on. “He was a sociopath. Where our father was a psychopath. I refused to do it. I couldn’t. But then... he found us. He heard Charles whispering those awful things in my ear. And he-he meant to kill Charles. He was so _angry._ He shouted things I didn’t understand. When it came right down to it... I shot him,” she said as if in disbelief. “I shot him... to protect Charles. I didn’t want to kill him. But I was so scared. I didn’t want to lose my brother. I still didn’t understand. Charles tried to frame me for it all. He said that I helped our father. And then I killed him in cold blood. But the police found evidence from some of the other victims in Charles’ apartment. _He_ helped my father. He didn’t do any of the killings... but he played a part.”   
  


Tears were streaming down her face now. “Charles was twenty-four. The press could have exposed the whole story. He wasn’t a minor. But my mother was so embarrassed. She was so numb from finding out her husband was a serial killer that she paid off the police. They protected his files, by sealing them. And threatening to sue any news station who released Charles’ part of the story.” Jughead continued to stare at her, with an unreadable expression on his face. Damn him. Betty laughed and shook her head. “Say something, please.”   
  


“I’m just thinking about all the times I assumed you were a complete psychopath before I even knew you,” he murmured. Betty had to admit. That hurt. “And how wrong I was,” he added. It hurt less. He gave her a right smile, that might have looked like a wince to some people. “My mom didn’t leave as most think.”   
  
“Oh?” 

“She killed herself,” he said. Betty _flinched._ And then she remembered how... when she was completely out of it and on drugs, he yelled at her after she said something vaguely morbid and possibly suicidal. She couldn’t remember what it was now. But he just got _so_ angry. It wasn’t the type of angry that Malachi got when she did something he didn’t like. It was a hurt angry. 

She realized she kept comparing them, which wasn’t okay. But she couldn’t help it. Jughead was everything he wasn’t. Of course, she had been involved with other guys. But not like Malachi. Malachi was different. And she couldn’t help but wonder. But she had to close the door on those types of thoughts. And throw away the key. Because it was _his_ wedding she would have to start planning eventually. And to her surprise, that thought made her want to vomit. He didn’t see any of this on her face. Instead, he was giving her the same look she had been giving him a moment ago. Hoping she didn’t think him pathetic. 

“Do you miss her?” she asked. She didn’t know what else to say. She didn’t say she was sorry. She knew what it felt like for people to always apologize to her. And for what? That her dad murdered her friends? But this was different. Jughead’s mom wasn’t a murderer. She was a mother and a wife. 

“Sometimes,” he muttered. “But it’s mostly Jellybean. My dad doesn’t talk to her anymore. He doesn’t talk to either of us. Sometimes I hear her crying in her room at night. I pretend I don’t hear her.” 

Well. _That_ wasn’t what she was expecting him to say. But she got it. Jughead wasn’t her father. He was her older brother. And he didn’t know how to raise a teenager. From what Betty gathered, it had been like this for a few years. So Jughead had to take care of an angsty teenager when he had just become an adult himself. 

“She’s so much like you,” Betty said with a small smile. “She has a temper,” she said, thinking about how Jellybean threatened Betty after she caught her and Sweet Pea... she cringed at the memory, but Jughead didn’t notice. “And she is so _so_ strong.”   
  
“I think she has a boyfriend,” Jughead said with a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. Betty paled. He couldn’t know. Or else he would be smashing things right now. Unless he was very good at hiding his anger. Which she doubted. 

“What? W-who...”

”Ricky DeSantos. Some kid... he’s a Serpent. And the younger brother of one of my closest. He’s been coming over a lot to study with her. They sit where I can see them but...” He shook his head. Relief flooded Betty. He was wrong. But this could have been a good thing.

But then she processed what he was _saying._ “Wait, what? Do you think they’re having sex?” 

“What if she gets-“

”Jughead,” Betty warned. He raised his eyebrows. “She’s smart enough to-“

”I think I’m in the right to worry about that.” He ran an impatient hand through his hair and bounced his knee. Oh yeah, there were very few topics that set Jughead on edge. But Jellybean having _sex_ was one of them. 

“She’s not a child.” 

“You don’t know her as I do.” 

“Okay. Well, I can say the same about you,” Betty said. He looked at her. “What if _you_ get someone pregnant? How about that Risa girl?” 

“What are you- Risa? Are you seriously-“

”I saw you two at the bar.” She crossed her arms over her chest. 

“I’m not having sex with Risa. Anymore,” he said flatly. “She’s a-“ He cut himself off, closing his eyes. “Not good.” 

“In bed or in general?” Betty asked. Her stomach fluttered at the conversation. He opened his eyes and looked at her, a certain glare in his eyes she couldn’t decipher. 

Honestly, the whole thing was kind of morbid. Betty felt like they _shouldn’t_ be having this conversation. From serial killer family members to sex. How... inappropriate. Jughead seemed to come to the same realization, but that gleam didn’t leave his eyes. That familiar warmth coiled tightly in her core. _No. Go away._

”Both,” he said huskily. Oh, she was going to kill him. She looked away from his intense gaze. 

“Why are you being nice to me?” she asked. She might as well earn a reward for the best buzzkill. The glimmer left his eyes in an instant, and he looked away. “You hate me.” 

“I don’t _hate_ you,” he said calmly. “You pissed me off a few times. Honestly, my first impression of you was that you were a crazy drunk.” She remembered the night she had an outburst and cursed everyone in that restaurant. Her face heated. He chuckled darkly. “But I never hated you. I had this idea about you. From other people. But... things are different now.”

”Now you think I’m weak.” 

“No,” he said immediately, looking her directly in her eyes. “I think you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.” Her eyes stung. She could tell he was being genuine. And she _hated_ it. She supposed she preferred it when he was cursing at her and threatening to spill her guts on the floor.   
  
Her panicked thoughts were interrupted by a ringtone filling the space. It came from Jughead. He gave her an apologetic grimace before fishing his phone out of his pocket and hitting accept immediately. 

“This better be good,” he growled into the phone. But then he paused. Frowned. Raised his eyebrows. Betty watched, suspiciously. “Okay. _No_ , do not start until I get there. I don’t care I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said, before hanging up the phone. “I have to go to the Whyte Wyrm,” he said to her. She blinked at him. 

“Can I come?” she asked. The thought of staying here alone made her feel... queasy. It looked like he was about to say no, but then his face softened.

”Sure,” he said hesitantly. 


	14. History Repeats Itself

Betty had walked into the Whyte Wyrm with Jughead about half an hour after he had gotten that phone call. She managed to change into better clothes before they left and Jughead's leather jacket made him look less... different in that button-up shirt. Whether he cared or not that they were seen together walking into the bar, he didn't show. He seemed the most grounded Betty had ever seen him. 

She decided she liked the Whyte Wyrm more than the Devil's Pit when she smelt the smoke and leather on the inside. There was a woman stripping on a pole on the stage, which was the only thing that unnerved Betty the slightest bit. Nobody else seemed unnerved. There were no strippers in the Devil's Pit. 

"I'll only be a few minutes. Just... text me if you need anything," Jughead said to her before stalking to the back and disappearing in what seemed to be an office, slamming the door shut behind him. Betty could only assume what he was doing in there. Which was hard. 

She just turned toward the bar and walked over, taking a seat. She almost immediately recognized the petite pink-haired woman behind the bar. Toni. When she saw Betty, a serpent's smile slithered onto her lips. 

"Well, well, well," she said, walking over. "You've gone AWOL." 

"I was in the hospital," Betty mumbled. 

"Jughead picked you up?" 

"No. I'm doing a favor for him. He's doing a favor for me, I meant. Wedding stuff." Betty smiled coldly at the girl. "You wouldn't understand." 

Toni tsked. "Secrets. So many secrets. Veronica's worried about you. So is that red-head bitch. I think daddy dearest might be worried too. Why do you run from them, Elizabeth?" Toni smiled as the name left her lips. Betty's eyes widened the slightest bit at the sound of it. And who was _daddy dearest_? Hiram? Hiram wasn't worried about her. No way. 

"Don't call me that," Betty snapped. Toni laughed lightly. 

"Where were you, Betty?"

"Why do you care?" 

"Leave her alone, Toni," a familiar voice called from a few seats away. Both Betty and Toni turned to look. It was a blonde woman who seemed to be around their age. Risa. Betty remembered her from the last time she entered this bar. She had decided she didn't like Risa all that much. "I'm sure she has fiancés to steal anyway. Right, psycho?" Risa turned her head to look at Betty, and Betty's breath caught in her throat. 

"What did you just call me?" Betty asked. 

"Well that's what you are, right? I forgot is murdering kids genetic, or no? Toni, do you know?" Risa waved a hand. "Nah. But I did hear that psychopaths are drawn to each other. That's why you're fucking Malachi, right? Oh, I've heard all about him." 

"That's enough, Risa. Nobody asked for your input," Toni said, cutting in. Betty just continued to stare at the girl. Risa stared right back, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Betty, I'm sorry," Toni whispered. Betty didn't so much as look at her. 

"What are you going to do?" Risa asked. "Kill me? That's all you filthy Ghoulies are good for anyway," Risa spat. "Like father like daughter." 

"I said that's _enough_ ," Toni snapped. "Shut up or get the hell out of my bar." 

Betty blinked, and then looked away. She noticed Toni's fierce stare shifting into what looked like a look of concern. Or reproach. Or both. Uncertainty clouded her features. 

"I'm done," Risa said softly. "I've said what I needed to say." She shrugged and turned forward in her seat. 

"Betty?" Toni asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Betty met her gaze, her face utterly blank. And then she _smelled_ him, his scent washing over her like a wave. 

"Hey, it's going to be longer than a few minutes so why don't you just walk to my trailer? I know it's a little hard for you to walk right now, so... do you think you'll be able to do it?" he asked. Betty blinked again, turning her head to look at Jughead. He frowned, looking between her and Toni. Risa turned her head slightly, and Betty knew she was listening. 

"Yes," Betty said softly. "The meds are kicking in. I'll be fine." Even to her ears, her voice sounded forced. Rehearsed. Jughead's frown deepened. 

"Are you-" 

"I'm fine," she said quickly. "Go." 

He gave Toni another look before putting a key in Betty's hand and walking away. Whatever he had to do couldn't wait, and had to be done now. Betty didn't so much as acknowledge the two girls before rising and squeezing between people, out the bar. There was a slight limp as she walked, and it hurt but she could walk without having to grab onto something. Her head was empty as she walked across the parking lot, and into the RV park. Static. It reminded her of static. Or on old TV's when there was an unavailable channel and it was just... nothing. 

It felt like she got to his trailer within three minutes, but she stopped short when she heard yelling coming from inside. Frowning, she walked around to the side to hear better. To try to understand. At first, she wondered if it was Jellybean and her father because it was only a girl's voice she heard. But she knew that wasn't FP Jones when she heard the low rumble of a male's voice. It was Sweet Pea. She could hear clearly when she found an open window. 

"I don't know why I even bother anymore, it's not like you'll fucking believe me," Jellybean yelled. Betty winced. 

"No, I don't believe you! All you do is lie," Sweet Pea snapped, his voice a slightly lower volume but just as angry. _Uh oh,_ Betty thought. 

"Why are you being so insecure, I'm in school. You wouldn't know anything about it since you _dropped_ _out_! I need to study. He's in like three of my classes, we were _studying_. Why can't you get that through your stupid fucking brain?" Jellybean yelled, all in one breath. Betty winced even more. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Poor Sweet Pea. 

"Because he's your age!" Sweet Pea shot back. There was a beat of silence that felt like three years. 

"That's what this is about?" Jellybean asked breathlessly. "You're feeling insecure because you're older than me?" 

"I'm not feeling insecure stop using that _word_ ," Sweet Pea snapped. Jellybean laughed coldly. Betty didn't even know why she was still listening. This was _way_ out of her comfort zone. But she didn't move. 

"Then what? What is wrong with you?" 

"This is _wrong_." 

"Why, because I'm seventeen? We're doing nothing illegal, okay the legal age is-" 

"I don't care about the law! It's _wrong_ ," Sweet Pea said firmly. "It's not fair to Jughead." 

"Are you seriously letting my brother get in your head?" 

"He's my best friend." 

"And I'm your girlfriend." 

"No, you're his little sister," Sweet Pea countered. Another beat of silence. Betty felt anxiety creep into her and she didn't know why. "You'll always be Jughead's little sister. And I want to be able to tell him when I'm stressed about what to get you for your birthday or... how we got into an argument and I don't know how to fix it. But I can't because you're his _sister_. And you're in _high school._ You're going to go to college and meet someone else." 

"That's not true-"

"It is true."

"Is that all I am to you?" Jellybean asked. "Jughead's sister?" 

"I can't lie and sneak around anymore. Toni... Toni thinks it would be best if we stopped. She threatened to tell him." 

"You're talking to Toni now?" Jellybean asked incredulously, and Betty swore she heard a sob in her voice. 

"Jellybean-" 

"Then we'll tell him together, okay? I will tell him-" 

"No. Do _not_ tell him." 

"Why not?" 

"Because I'm not losing my best friend over this!" Sweet Pea snapped. More silence. Betty's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen. And she felt _horrible_. 

"You're choosing him over me?" Jellybean asked, sounding broken. 

"I'm not trying to choose." 

"You just did!" she yelled. 

"I'm sorry, JB," he whispered, so Betty could barely hear him. "This is my fault, okay I should have never let it happen." 

"What the fuck, Sweet Pea?" Her voice broke. 

"I have to go. I'm sorry. I just... can't do it anymore." Silence followed his footsteps. And then Betty heard the front door open. And then the revving of a motorcycle. When she was sure he was gone, she let out a sigh and walked around to the front. She was going to walk right back to the Whyte Wyrm, but the door opened behind her, and Betty froze. 

"Betty?" Jellybean called after a moment, her voice shaky. Betty turned around. Her face was wet with tears, and mascara was smudged under her red puffy eyes. Betty let out a long sigh, and Jellybean's lower lip trembled. 

"It's all rainbows and sunshine, huh?" Betty said flatly. A sob escaped Jellybean, and she quickly covered her mouth. Betty's heart felt heavy in her chest as she silently walked up to the doorway and up the steps. She almost fell back when Jellybean practically tackled her, her arms wrapping around her body. Betty rubbed her back in small circles while Jellybean broke out in sobs. "Come on," Betty whispered, moving her so they were past the threshold and the door was closed behind them. 

Betty led her to the couch in the living area, before sitting them both down. She waited patiently until Jellybean quieted down a little bit when the choking sobs were done. "I heard most of it," Betty said softly. "What happened?" 

"Ricky," Jellybean choked out. "I was... I was with Ricky DeSantos." 

"Why does that name sound familiar?" 

"He's... Joaquin DeSantos's little-little brother," she choked out. Betty nodded patiently. She knew who Joaquin was. What she didn't know was that he had a little brother. "Nothing happened, I wouldn't-I wouldn't do that. But I think Sweet Pea was already in a bad mood because he came here... and he just-he just freaked out. I mean, Ricky isn't a violent person, he's not like Joaquin, he-" 

"Calm down," Betty said softly. "Did Sweet Pea hurt Ricky?" Jellybean nodded. 

"He punched him. In the eye. Ricky left but... I was so mad. And I think..." Jellybean put a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. "He thinks I deserve someone my own age." 

"Sweet Pea's worried about several things. That just happens to be one of them," Betty pointed out. Jellybean shook her head in disbelief. 

"We were fine just a few hours ago, I-" 

"This has been on his mind since the moment he touched you," Betty said. "It was just a matter of time. The more time that went by, the guiltier he felt." 

"It's Jughead's fault." 

"Jughead doesn't even know," Betty said flatly. 

"Exactly! He has no idea and he's ruining my relationship!" Jellybean was getting angry now.

She technically no longer had a relationship to ruin, but Betty didn't say that. 

"Jellybean..." 

"I love him," Jellybean blurted. Betty's eyes widened slightly, and Jellybean's eyes widened a lot. They stared at each other for a moment. 

"I don't think you-" 

"I do," she insisted.

Betty smiled softly. "Does he know that?"

Jellybean shook her head. "I've never said that to him before." 

"I think that would have changed a lot of things." 

"Do you think... do you think he used me?" Jellybean asked. Betty raised her eyebrows. "Do you think I was just sex to him?" 

"No," Betty said firmly, shaking her head. "No, I don't think that at all. Jellybean, how long has this been going on?" 

"Six months," she breathed. 

Betty's eyes widened. " _What_?" Jellybean said nothing. "Toni knows?" A nod. "Fangs?" Another nod. "Oh fuck..." Betty hesitated. "Archie?" she whispered. 

Jellybean closed her eyes. "Archie was an accident. In the bathroom at the Whyte Wyrm, we were-" 

"Okay!" Betty said quickly. "Jellybean, Jughead is the only one who _doesn't_ know. That's bad." 

"We kept it a secret for a long time before. Toni found out first. Sweet Pea got drunk and told her. And she told Fangs." 

"How has Jughead _not_ found out?" 

"Because they-they help... sometimes," Jellybean lowered her head. Betty's eyes widened further. 

"Jellybean that is _horrible_. If Jughead finds out and then he finds out everyone else knew... you're not only going to make him want to murder you all but, it will _hurt_ him. Did you ever think about that or was Sweet Pea simply trying to keep his dick intact?" Betty snapped. Jellybean's eyes widened. "You're putting your relationship with your _brother_ on the line. All of you are." 

"Hold on, you _hate_ Jughead. Why the hell are you defending him?" 

"I don't hate him and I'm not defending him." 

"You invited me on a trip to piss him off," Jellybean countered. 

"I don't hate him," Betty repeated, her tone sharpening. Irritation threatened to prick her. "I'm being serious." 

"What was I supposed to do? Are you saying this is for the best?" 

"No, I'm saying that he would be less murderous if you told him six months ago. If the truth gets out now, I pray for you, Toni, Fangs, and Archie. Sweet Pea? He might as well be considered _dead_. And you? It will be worse," Betty said. She realized she might be scaring Jellybean, but she believed every word that came out of her mouth. 

"Worse for me?" Jellybean asked. Betty nodded. 

"You're playing a dangerous game." 

"My boyfriend just broke up with me and it's his fault! His! His, his, his! Are you deaf?" Jellybean yelled. 

"No, but you're about to be," Betty muttered. Jellybean ignored her and paced the room. 

"How do I fix it? Tell me how to fix it. Betty, please!" 

"For starters," Betty began calmly. "Act like an adult. Right now, you're acting like a hormonal teenager. Okay? Now give Sweet Pea time. A few days. Let him realize what he's done. He probably already regrets it to be honest but let it sink in. Then, talk to him. Tell him how you feel. And the most important part? Tell Jughead. The both of you."

Jellybean stared at her with crazed eyes, and Betty crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm going to Toni's," she said, grabbing her keys. Betty blinked. 

"Why?" 

"To make sure she keeps her damn mouth shut!" 

"She's at the Whyte Wyrm," Betty said flatly. Jellybean rolled her eyes, before leaving and slamming the door shut behind her. 

Betty shook her head and stood up, letting out a long sigh and standing up. She went to the bathroom and saw to her needs before walking back out into the open. The trailer was bigger than her own, granted, three people lived there. Or maybe two. She wasn't sure if FP lived with Jughead and Jellybean or not. She knew Jughead and FP had a bad relationship. She wasn't really sure about Jellybean's relationship with her father, though. 

Her mind drifted to their mother. She had thought about how hard it must be for Jughead to practically raise a teenager, but she didn't even think about how hard it was for Jellybean. She didn't have a mom to cry to when shit like this happened. When she went through breakups. Betty pushed these thoughts out of her mind as she walked into one of the bedrooms. It was the master bedroom if the size was any indication. Jughead's bedroom. 

She felt like she was stepping over an invisible boundary, but it was his idea for her to come here in the first place. His room was fairly neat for what she expected. There were no clothes lying on the floor, and it was clean. It wasn't perfect, though. The bed wasn't made. And it smelled like him. Betty smiled slightly as she walked around, looking at some pictures in frames. She walked over to the window, looking out and seeing a perfect view of the White Wyrm all the way across the lot. She took a deep breath and froze right when she felt the familiar cold steel of something hard press against her back. 

And the familiar hot breath against her neck, as his arm brushed hers. "Don't move, or make a sound. Or I'll spill your guts all over the floor." 

Jughead was staring at the wall beneath lowered brows, deep in thought. Thinking about his whole week, really. It felt wrong that he had seen Betty more than he'd seen Veronica. In all that he'd known her. Something twisted in his gut. It wasn't like he was expected to hang out with Veronica all the time. It would probably make things easier, though. But he couldn't stop thinking. About _her_. 

Despite how messed up it felt, after seeing his theory that Malachi was... hurting her, confirmed, it felt messed up to think of her in the ways he had been thinking of her all day. Even before the bath. Which, the bath had been torture. She didn't seem to notice at all, though, which meant he was good at hiding it. Malachi wasn't the only reason it was _wrong_ though. It was also Veronica. And the fact they were ripping each other apart a week before. He was confused about a lot of things. But thinking about her in his trailer at that moment while he sat here...

"Jughead," Archie said firmly. Jughead looked up, raising his brows. "Does that sound like a good plan?"

Jughead looked around, everyone staring at him expectantly. "Yeah. Sounds great." 

"Really?" Archie asked, furrowing his brows. _No._

"I'm sorry, uh... what are we talking about?" Jughead asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. Tall Boy rolled his eyes just as Jughead opened his. One look from him sent the older man stiffening and shutting his mouth. 

"Uh, the bar costs," Archie said, clearing his throat. Jughead nodded. 

"Right. Do whatever you have to do." Jughead smiled at them and then stood up. Archie got a bewildered look on his face. 

"What? Jughead's your-" 

"Just... do what _you_ think is right. I have to go? Okay, I'll see you guys later." Jughead nodded, leaving the room, ignoring all their dumbfounded looks. He froze suddenly, staring at the coat hanger. Archie's leather jacket was there. And sticking out of the pocket slightly was the pink-white sheen of a pearl. A pearl necklace. Before they could notice he had frozen, he opened the door and walked out of the room, forcing himself to forget about it. Because there was only one person in the entire world that both Jughead and Archie knew, who wore pearl necklaces. 

_Forget about it, forget about it, forget about it._

It wasn't that he was mad. He didn't want to think about it because he didn't care. And that was probably worse than what he _should_ be feeling. Granted, he hadn't slept in almost three days. Jughead ran a hand through his hair as he left the bar and then climbed into his car, not hesitating to start the engine and drive back to his trailer. 

There were no lights on inside, and for a second Jughead thought maybe Betty gave up on waiting for him and just went to sleep. He wouldn't blame her if that was the case. In all honesty, he wouldn't know what they would talk about if she were awake. Betty made him... nervous. Really nervous. Not because of who she was or her past, like most people would say, but because he was afraid he would say the wrong thing and she would never open up to him about anything ever again. It was stupid because they usually didn't get along, but she had already told him so many things over the past week she hadn't told a lot of people. And he liked it. 

But as soon as he opened the door, he went rigid. Something was wrong. It _felt_ wrong. He walked in, shutting the door behind him. "Betty?" he called wearily. No answer. Nothing seemed out of place. But his gut was beginning to twist. He checked the bathroom, the kitchen, Jellybean's room, and the living area. She wasn't there. He checked his own bedroom last. It looked just as he left it. He was about to walk away and call Betty's phone when the buzzing noise filled the room. He listened closely, staying silent. 

Walking over to the window in the far corner of the room, he crouched down and picked up Betty's phone, vibrating from the floor. Veronica had been calling her, but the ringing stopped once he picked up the phone. He stared at the phone for a moment, his blood beginning to boil. He felt like he was going to explode. Because his gut was right. He clenched his other hand into a fist before standing up and throwing the phone at the nearest wall. He didn't stop when it shattered. He left the room, and grabbed his keys, walking out the front door. 

Outside, Sweet Pea had just pulled up and opened his mouth, stopping when he saw the look of murder on Jughead's face. "Jughead?" he asked. Jughead ignored him, opening the door to his car. "Jughead, I need to talk to you," Sweet Pea said tentatively. 

"Not now," Jughead ground out. He briefly glanced at Sweet Pea, and he knew when Sweet Pea was upset. This was one of those times. But he didn't have time to care. 

"Jughead, it's important-" 

"I said not now!" Jughead yelled, before slamming the door shut behind him, and turning on the engine. He didn't acknowledge his friend before tearing out of the gravel. 

"Malachi?" Betty asked in a small voice. He looked _crazy_. Utterly crazy. He was hunched over, eyes on the dark road stretching out in front of them. "Where are you taking me?" 

"Just-just shut up. Let me think," he snapped. Betty closed her mouth, eyeing his phone sitting in the console between them. 

"Okay," she said calmly. She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath while he concentrated on the road. When she opened her eyes again, she slowly, so very slowly reached for the phone. He didn't notice. He was too lost in his own mind. She unlocked it with shaky hands and scrolled through his contacts until she found Jughead. She almost let out a moan of relief when she saw his name there. She didn't remember his number by heart. She went into messages and looked up at the road. It hit her so suddenly. She knew where they were going. She rapidly began typing, though it was hard because her hands were shaking so badly. 

In the corner of her eyes, she saw Malachi turn his head towards her. Panic filled her chest, and she pressed send, right before he snatched the phone out of her hand. It wasn't enough. All she had texted him was the word _sweet_. He wouldn't understand. Malachi let out a yell, throwing the phone out the window and holding up his gun with one hand, pointing it at her temple. He pressed it so hard, it hurt. His other hand was on the wheel. 

"What the fuck, Betty?" he yelled. "Why?" His yell became a scream. Betty held up her hands, closing her eyes. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeated over and over again. He grunted and pulled the gun away. She felt hot tears slide down her cheeks. 

"None of this would be happening if you just did as I fucking said," he yelled, making her whole body flinch. 

_Your fault. Your fault, your fault, your fault._ "You're right," she whispered hoarsely. Malachi glanced at her and then back at the road. "It's my fault I was naive enough to get myself in this situation," Betty continued, her voice rising defiantly. Malachi's eyes began to widen in pure rage. "It's my fault I got involved with a fucking asshole like you!" she screamed. 

"You whore-" 

"Oh, what's wrong? Did I deflate your ego? Cry about it!" she screamed back. He held up his gun and she took it and pressed it up against the center of her forehead, turning in her seat. "Do it! Pull the trigger, Malachi!" 

He pulled the barrel of the gun out of her grasp and turned it, slamming the butt against her head. It happened so fast, she wasn't able to react fast enough. Pain exploded in her temple and black crept in the edges of her vision as she slumped slightly in her seat. 

"Crazy bitch," he muttered next to her. 

She wanted to scream some more. She wanted to agree. She wanted to say, _yeah, I am crazy. I'll show you just how fucking crazy I can be._ But the strength and energy she had a few seconds before had vanished. 

She didn't know how much time went by before he took a turn and the car slowly came to a stop. She didn't even remember him getting out of the car and coming around to her side. Or him opening the door and yanking on her arm, muttering for her to get out and listen or else he will blow her brains out. At that point, she welcomed the idea. 

_No._

That's dumb, she thought. Don't think like that. 

Her vision began to clear again and it got easier to move. She realized she was at Sweetwater River, just as she expected. She looked at the icy-cold water, barely visible under the headlights of the car. Barely aware of the gun pressed into her spine, she took a deep breath, having the urge to go into the river. Even if she freezes to death. It would be... it would be so _refreshing_.

"Betty." Malachi's voice brought her back. The gun was no longer on her back. She turned around and looked at him. He was looking at her with a soft look, his gun still pointed at her. "You know I love you, right?" 

Love. What a cruel thing. 

She nodded, looking away from him. "I believe you do," she said. And she did. Her father loved her. Her brother loved her. Yet, they were both monsters. Killers. It was possible that Malachi loved her. That didn't change the fact he was fucking evil. 

"Good," he said. "Turn back around." 

He was really going to kill her. And for what? Because he believed she fucked someone else? By that logic, she should be the one killing _him_. But then again, logic doesn't apply to people who are insane. Malachi was definitely insane. 

She nodded, letting out an exasperated sigh before turning back around. None of this felt real. She shouldn't be listening. She should go down with a fight. But she felt so... _tired_. Laying down and falling asleep in the dirt was a new fantasy. Just a little while longer. She closed her eyes, waiting for oblivion. Suddenly, she thought of Veronica. _Veronica._ Her eyes flew open. _Veronica._ She thought Betty was in the hospital, safe. What about Cheryl, and Reggie, and fucking Hiram? What the _fuck_ was she doing? 

She heard the cock of a gun, and panic flooded her chest. 

"WAIT-" 

She was cut off by the sudden squealing of tires filling the air. Both she and Malachi whipped around. Jughead fucking Jones was getting out of his car, looking like Lucifer himself, invisible steam coming out of his ears and a murderous look on his face that should have been able to kill anyone who looked. Jughead pulled an aluminum bat out of the back and stalked toward them, not even acknowledging the gun in Malachi's hand. 

Betty's eyebrows hiked up her forehead. 

"I'm going to rip your fucking intestines out of your ribcage," Jughead spat, his voice guttural. Malachi had the decency to look _scared._

With a shaky hand, he held up the gun. Jughead came to a stop, a wicked grin spreading across his lips. 

"Stop, Jones! Just-just stop. I'll let you live if you get back in your car and drive away. This is none of your business," Malachi commanded. He didn't sound all that convincing. The shakiness of his voice brought a smile to Betty's lips. 

Though, if she were being honest... At that moment, Jughead was scaring _her_. His demeanor, the rage that came off him in ripples, that... horrible smile. It was all she could do not to take a step back from both the men. 

"Are you going to shoot me, Malachi?" Jughead asked, his voice calm. "How _interesting_." 

"Your dogs aren't here to protect you, asshole!" Malachi yelled, gaining control of his voice again. 

The smile disappeared from Jughead's face. "My _dogs_? Did. You. Just. Call. My. _Family._ Dogs?" 

The only sound that filled the following silence was Betty swallowing. Hard. It was as if Jughead had forgotten she was there altogether. 

"Family? You can't possibly be talking about the posse you're going everywhere with? Let's see... The slut with the pink hair who I would take every satisfaction in fucking from the back," Malachi held up a finger as if counting. Jughead's lips tightened at the insult. "The pussy mute, along with the brother of said slut." Another two fingers. "The redhead who fucks your bride." At that, Jughead's eyes flashed. "Am I missing anyone? Oh..." 

"M-Malachi..." Betty tried, her voice barely more than a whisper. Nobody acknowledged her. 

"Jellybean," Malachi mused. Oh _fuck_. Jughead's eyes widened the slightest bit. "She's so... sweet. Not like you, of course. No, her traits must be from your mother. Mmm, she's almost eighteen, isn't she? How I would love to feel her wet cunt-" 

Betty only had time to gasp before Jughead lost his cool, calm mask. He raised the bat over his head and brought it down, too fast for her to comprehend. Everything went by in flashes. 

She didn't see Malachi fire the gun. But she heard it. Instinct took over and she crumpled to the ground, raising her arms over her head and dropping her head between her knees. Several seconds went by before she raised her head. Jughead had stumbled back a bit. No blood covered him. The relief she felt was questionable. 

Malachi was on him in seconds, bringing the butt of the gun down. Jughead groaned, dropping the bat to catch the gun, throwing it to the side. Malachi still had the upper hand, bringing his fists down. The sound of flesh against flesh sounded, and then Jughead's mouth and cheekbone were bloody. Malachi continued to bring his fists down on Jughead again and again. Too many times. Horror was clouding Betty's senses. She finally found her voice. 

"Malachi, stop!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. He was _killing_ Jughead. Jughead would have killed Malachi. But Malachi used Jughead's weakness. He had to bring in Jellybean. 

Malachi wiped his brow, standing up. Jughead didn't rise. Betty covered her mouth with her hand and felt her eyes well up. Jughead let out a pained groan, rolling over weakly. Malachi picked up his gun and began stalking towards her to Betty's horror. 

"Betty..." Jughead groaned from the floor. It looked like he was _trying_ so hard to get up. But he couldn't. He just rolled onto his stomach and leaned his forehead against the ground, his eyes closed, his chest heaving. 

Betty was too busy watching him with wide eyes to realize Malachi was right there. He grabbed her roughly by the scalp earning a yell of pain from her. He tipped her head back so she could see him, and he glared down at her, his nostrils flaring. 

"I'm going to enjoy killing you-" 

He didn't get to finish because Betty brought her foot up behind her and kicked him in the groin. He let go of her hair with a curse and took a step back. Betty didn't hesitate this time. She sprinted for the aluminum bat. She sprinted for _Jughead._ She truly believed they would both get out of this okay. She was done being obedient. But it was too late to fight back. Malachi grabbed her from behind. 

Betty let out a scream and began pumping her fists, kicking her legs, trying to make him let her _go._ Jughead groaned in response to her screams, opening one eye and pushing off the floor, only to fall back down. He looked so _desperate_. Desperate to get the fuck up and gather his wits. 

Malachi threw her to the ground, quickly getting on top of her and sitting on her legs, weighing her down. Betty turned her head, looking at Jughead, _begging_ with her eyes. But she knew he needed more _time_. Malachi had done some significant damage. Jughead probably had a concussion. He let out another groan, repeating the process of pushing off the ground and collapsing again. He was _trying_. When Betty looked back up, a fist met her face. Malachi had punched her. She let out a choked sob. 

"S-stop," Jughead said-no- _begged_. He was begging. "Malachi... don't-" 

Malachi wasn't listening. Not as he hit the other side of her face. Her head jerked the other way with the action. 

"Please..." Jughead ground out. "Don't hurt her." His voice was fading out into the background. Betty couldn't tell if he was going to go under, or if it was her that was losing consciousness. 

The next thing she knew, Malachi had his hands wrapped around her throat, squeezing. Betty's eyes widened and she stared up at him. There was no emotion in his eyes. Just a void. Just...evil. He was going to kill her. And then maybe Jughead would kill him. But she wouldn't make it. In the corner of her eye, she saw Jughead bring a knee up. He was starting to get up. But too slowly. She could feel the life leaving her. She fought. She kicked her legs under him and clawed at his hands. Anything to make it stop. Anything to buy her a second more. 

She couldn't die like this. Not after everything. Not like this. Not after Charles. Not after... 

She felt the dirt under her fingernails as she dug her hand into the ground beside them, and then- she felt a rock. It was heavy. It was hard. The edges of her vision were turning to red. She gripped the rock with the last bit of strength she had. One last chance. With everything in her, she brought the rock up, and felt it collide with something else hard. 

Suddenly, air was filling her windpipe, her lungs, giving her life. She took the longest gasp of air in her entire life as if being born again for the first time. Out came a cough, in more air. In and out, in and out, in and out. 

"Betty..." Jughead. "Betty are you-are you-" He groaned in frustration. In the corner of her vision, she could see him limping over, his eyes gaining some clarity. B

Betty slowly sat up and looked at what she had done. Malachi lay next to her, his lifeless eyes staring up. Around his head was a pool of dark blood. Where the rock collided. Dread and horror filled her soul. She gasped and shot up, moving to his side. Jughead didn't move a muscle. 

"Malachi?" Her voice came out in a sob. She didn't care that he was dead. She didn't care that this evil man lay staring up at the night sky with no life left in his black eyes. She cared that it was _her._ It was her that killed him. She murdered someone else. She killed for the second time in her young life. 

A sob left her mouth. A gasp, and then another shuddering sob. She began shaking her head. "No. Not again. No, _no, no, no, no-_

Strong arms wrapped around her. She turned to see Jughead mere inches away from her, on the ground with her. He wasn't even looking at Malachi. He was looking at _her_. He touched her face and her hair, his eyes scanning every inch of her as if looking for a puncture wound. 

"Did he hurt you, baby?" he asked, looking at her face and running a thumb over her cheek. His right eye had a splotch of bright red, probably from a burst blood vessel. But he didn't seem to care about himself. He pulled her onto his lap and held her close, burying his face into her shoulder. She let out another shuddering sob, welcoming his touch, straddling him, and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're okay... you're okay." He sounded like it was more to convince himself than her. 

"I killed him," she whispered, hot tears spilling down her cheek and onto his shirt. 

"I know," he said, kissing her temple, and then her cheek, pulling away to look at her face again. He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm going to take care of this, okay? I'm going to make it all okay again." 

She sniffed and nodded, letting him wipe her tears away. He still looked weak, and pained. But she knew they had to act fast. He kissed her forehead before pulling her close again and rocking her, burying his face in her hair once again. And it felt so _good_. 

It was the safest she felt in the last eight years. 


	15. Scandal

Betty sat on the kitchen counter in Jughead's trailer, sniffling and touching her neck every so often. There was a phantom feeling; like Malachi's hands were still there. His cold, dead hands. A shiver went down her spine. She had just stopped shaking and crying a few moments ago. Jughead had to carry her inside, despite his own injuries-which weren't as bad as Betty thought at first. When Malachi got him on the ground, he hit his knee on a rock which was the cause of his new limp. 

Now, Jughead was running a rag under the tap with dirty, bloody hands. Betty refused to touch Malachi. Jughead didn't even ask, but when he began to move the body into his car, Betty didn't help. She just... watched. And cried. He had her wait in the car while he took care of the blood-and rock. 

Jughead sniffed and turned off the water, walking back over to Betty. She looked up at him, having the sudden urge to cry again. She just wanted to _stop_ crying. It felt pathetic and stupid to sit and cry. She wanted to be stronger than that. If her reaction to the whole situation bothered Jughead, he gave no indication. He took a deep breath and stopped mere inches away from her. Betty seemed to be the only one to notice his leg move between hers. Jughead was focused on getting the grime off her face, taking the rag, and running it down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and let him. 

"Betty," he said softly, his voice hoarse. She opened her eyes again to look at him. He smiled softly. It didn't reach his eyes. He had a bruise on his cheekbone, and a blood vessel burst in his right eye. She assumed she didn't look better. She was too scared to look. 

"Am I ugly?" she asked. It was a stupid question, really. Out of all the questions in the world, there were better ones. Jughead laughed softly as if that was a ridiculous question. 

"No." He dropped his hand onto the counter right beside her thigh. "You're beautiful," he whispered. Betty bit her lip, her eyes stinging with tears threatening to spill. How she had any tears left, was beyond her. Jughead dropped his forehead onto hers, looking into her eyes. 

"Why didn't you call the cops?" Betty asked softly. "I... I didn't mean to-" 

"I know, baby," Jughead said quickly, bringing his free hand up to cup her cheek. _Baby_. That was the second time he called her that. It brought her comfort in a way she couldn't explain. That was probably the point. "But, they wouldn't understand. It was self-defense but... I would get in trouble." 

"He attacked _you_ -"

"I'm a bad person, Betty. I have a reputation," Jughead said softly, his forehead still against hers. His breath mingled with hers. "It... It wouldn't have ended well. I need you to trust me."

"I do trust you," Betty said immediately. She put one hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. His knee made contact with her core and she gasped in surprise, squeezing her thighs together, keeping his leg there. They both froze. 

Jughead's eyes drifted down, and Betty resisted the urge to squeeze her thighs a second time. He looked back up at her face, his eyes pausing on her lips before drifting to her eyes. Betty felt a warmth spread low inside of her. She mentally slapped herself. What a fucked situation. She watched as he swallowed, his throat working. 

"I have to go." 

" _No_ ," she said quickly, wrapping both her arms around his neck. He let out a small groan, bracing both his hands on either side of her. "Do _not_ leave me." 

"Betty, I'll be back," he said, his voice husky. She forced herself not to look down again. "I need to take care of this. I need... I need to do this. I'm going to make sure everything's okay again, okay?" A strand of hair fell across his forehead. Betty nodded slowly. 

"Just... please hurry," she whispered. 

Jughead suddenly took her jaw in his hand and made her look up. It was a gentle but firm gesture. Her gaze met his. "I promise nobody is ever going to touch you _ever_ again. Okay? I will _kill_ anyone who even looks at you wrong." 

She believed him. And his words... they stirred something deep inside her. She wanted to bathe in his words. She wanted-she wanted... 

As if reading her thoughts, his eyes widened slightly, and a hunger seeped into his eyes. A hunger she wished so _badly_ he would act upon. She almost begged him to right there and then. But instead, he moved her thighs the slightest bit apart and removed his knee, earning a small sound from her. He grunted slightly and took a step back from her, shoving his hands in his pockets as if he didn't trust himself not to use them. 

"I'll be back. Just... shower. Or, sleep," he said. Though, they both knew she wouldn't be sleeping. 

Before she could state her thoughts, he left. She heard the snap of him locking the door in place, and then his footsteps fade. Betty let out a long breath, leaning her head back against the cabinets. Suddenly, she jolted forward, jumping off the counter and turning around, vomiting into the sink. She retched a few times before more came, her shoulders curving inward. 

When she was done, she wiped her mouth and stood up straight, looking towards the door and suddenly wishing Jughead hadn't left. She swallowed, the sound of her throat working filling the silent room. A wave of exhaustion had overcome her. Instead of going to shower, she walked into Jughead's room, sliding into his bed and wrapping the covers around herself. She breathed in the smell of him, imagined him laying behind her, his arms caging her in against him. She fell asleep to those thoughts. 

Betty awoke sometime later, to the sound of a door opening and closing distantly. It took her a moment to flutter her eyes open and gain the strength to push herself off the mattress and from under the covers, silently walking into the other room, to be met with an extremely exhausted Jughead. He slammed his keys down on the counter, running his hands through his hair only to freeze when he spotted Betty, her arms wrapped around herself. He smelled like smoke. 

"What did you do?" she whispered. 

"I took care of it," he said simply. 

Anger coursed through her, red and poisonous. "You took care of it?" she asked, in a quiet, calm voice. He tilted his head back, studying her. "Is that what you did?" she yelled suddenly, shoving him, pushing both her hands against his chest. He stumbled back but remained calm. "Why didn't you let me call the cops?" she shouted at him. The anger was delayed, in all honesty. She had been in shock these past few hours. The shock was wearing off. 

"Because I would have-" 

"You only care about yourself," she said abruptly. "It was all about you, wasn't it? It doesn't matter that I murdered the son of a bitch, it matters because _you_ were there!"

"You know that is not what I meant, _Elizabeth_ ," Jughead snapped. Her eyes flared. "I was protecting the _both_ of us. I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a prison cell. Do you? Maybe it runs in the family." He laughed coldly. 

He didn't expect it when Betty punched him. _Hard_. His whole body went to the side, and then he stood up straight, his wide, angry eyes landing on Betty. She stood her ground, her own eyes wide with anger. Anger towards what he said. What he called her. A sense of guilt and realization shown in his eyes and his features softened. 

"I didn't mean-" 

"Of course you meant it," Betty said coldly. "You're only voicing what everyone in this fucking town thinks." An exhausted laugh escaped her. She really was exhausted. She hadn't _liked_ herself in _years_ , she realized. Well, that was a lie. The last time she liked herself, the last time she felt... free, was the night she bailed Jughead out of jail. Though, she would never admit that out loud. 

"Betty, I am _tired_ ," Jughead ground out. 

"Fuck you," she snapped. "I _hate_ you. This is _your_ fault!" She began to pound on his chest some more, her anger coursing through her veins. She wanted to _hurt_ somebody.

Jughead grabbed her wrists, tightly-but not tight enough to hurt-pushing her up against the wall. She tried to kick him but he let out a groan as he thrust a knee between her legs, surprising her. Her legs dropped, and she stared up at him, wanting to stab him more than ever. 

"You don't hate me," he said lowly. 

"Yes. I do." 

"No," he said, lowering his head, so he was not even an inch away from her face. Their breath mingled. "You don't." 

She swallowed, looking up into his gaze with uncertainty. She was so very aware of his knee still thrust between her legs. "Let me go," she said, looking away from him. When he didn't move, she snapped her head towards him. "I said let me go you stupid bastard!" she yelled in his face. At that, he did let her go. 

He clenched his jaw shut, glaring down at her before walking away. She immediately walked past him, opening the front door and rushing down the steps. He had taken her there in his car, so she wasn't exactly sure how she was going to go home. But she would figure it out. 

She paused when she was a few feet away from the trailer, breathing out and seeing her breath against the cold crispy air. There were so many anger-filled words she wanted to say to Jughead. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to express how with every fiber of her being she believed that killing Malachi could have been prevented if he hadn't _left_ her. She clenched her hands into fists at her side. She was not done with him. 

Turning around, she rushed back up the stairs and opened the door. She almost fell back down the stairs because Jughead was standing right there as if he almost opened the door himself. Before she could open her mouth to yell a string of curses at him, he grabbed her, placing one hand on the side of her neck and the other on her waist, backing her up against the doorframe, and attacking her mouth with his. He _kissed_ her. It was a desperate kiss. Many things were left unsaid in that kiss. He kissed her as if he would die if he didn't. After a second, she found herself kissing him back, and opening her mouth up to him. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck instinctively. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch of her. She ran her hands through his hair, pulling and exploring, and feeling. He let out a groan into her mouth, his knee back in its original spot between her legs. A warmth had settled deep in her core, and now all she wanted was to soothe the throbbing ache she felt. Clenching her thighs together and grinding against his leg, she desperately tried to gain some friction against that sensitive spot between her legs. 

Jughead grabbed the back of her thighs, picking her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked back into the trailer, kicking the door shut behind him and setting her down on the counter in the kitchen, his mouth never leaving hers. She pulled her face away from his to look down, her hands flying to his belt buckle. His mouth went to her cheek, and then her jaw, and then her neck. She let out a small gasp that turned into a moan, her hands fumbling with the buckle. She let out a sound of frustration when she couldn't undo it. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking, and his _mouth_ was everywhere at once. 

"Help me," she gasped. "Jughead, please-" She was cut off when his mouth found hers again. She could hear him undoing his belt and then the sound of it falling to the floor. And then the sound of him working his zipper. Her hand instinctively traveled down, stopping when she felt the fabric of his briefs. His mouth faltered at the movement momentarily. She moved her head, so he could kiss her neck instead while her hand explored. 

He obliged while she slipped her hand into the opening of his briefs, wrapping her hand around his considerable length. A throaty groan came from his throat, and he gripped her wrist. He was _hard_. She looked down, watching her hand move. 

Jughead watched as she stopped, bringing her hand up to her mouth. He had stopped everything he was doing to watch her. She kept her eyes on his as she took one finger and popped it into her mouth, sucking, and tasting. His eyes flashed as he watched her mouth. Something snapped within him and he grabbed her hand, bringing it to his mouth. He kissed her fingers before bringing his mouth to her own once more, taking her tongue in his and kissing her deeply. Their kisses were rushed and desperate and messy, but she was _hungry_ for him. She brought her hands to his neck, bringing him closer, wanting _more_. 

She felt his hand slip down her pants, and then into the fabric of her panties. A sharp gasp left her when she felt his hand cup her. She turned her head and buried her face in the crook of his neck, letting out soft moans when she felt his fingers slowly open her up. His skin was so hot against hers, she felt as if she was on fire. He dipped one finger in, and she bit her lip hard, pulling him close by the shoulders. He slipped in a second number, and her moans began to get repetitive, her face heating. She moved her hips slightly, moving against his fingers, trying to gain more friction. He let out a low groan in her ear. 

When he pressed his thumb against that bundle of nerves, she cried out, letting her head fall back against the cabinets. His mouth was on the pulse on her neck, sucking and kissing. She could feel the scrape of his teeth against her skin every so often, all the while he kept working his fingers, pumping them in and out of her, and rubbing her clit. Her chest moved up and down, in time with her gasps. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples peeked against the cold through her shirt. Jughead seemed to notice because he moved his hand from her pants and lifted her shirt up, off her head. She almost let out a sound of protest when she no longer felt his hand between her legs, but then his mouth was on one of her breasts. 

A long breath left her, feeling his hot tongue press against her peak, while his hand massaged her other breast. She clenched her thighs more tightly together, warmth still gathering. Jughead looked up at her, his mouth still on her breast. She bit her lip, studying the hungry look in his eyes. He dropped his head, hooking his hands in the waistband of her panties and pulling. Her pants fell with no problem, but her underwear protested momentarily. She watched him, her eyes widening slightly when he ripped them with no hesitation, throwing them to the side. Before she could fully react, his mouth caught hers, his tongue finding hers. 

He moved so that he could kiss her jaw, and then her neck, going down. He kissed her chest, her breast, her stomach. She watched him, frozen. His eyes remained on hers when he got on his knees and kissed her inner thigh. She kept her hands on the corners of the counter on either side of her, her breath caught in her throat. Gently, but firmly, he pushed her legs farther apart, and leaned forward, kissing her core. 

A soft groan came out of her, and she gripped the counter edge harder, her knuckles turning white. He hooked his arms around her thighs, gripping her while he plunged his tongue into her. She gasped, one of her hands going to his head, gripping his hair. He started out slowly, gripping her firmly so she couldn't move while he moved his tongue over her. Her gasps turned into moans, and then she was grabbing his hair with both her hands, her head falling back. 

She swallowed hard, breathing in, and feeling his soft hair gliding through her fingers. Right as his tongue pressed against her clit, she whimpered and squeezed her thighs around his head. She looked down, chewing on her lip as his eyes flicked up, meeting her gaze. His hands were gripping her thighs so tightly, she thought it was going to bruise. But she didn't tell him to stop, because it felt _good._ Everything felt so good. She was growing in ecstasy, and she felt her heart quicken with each lap of her tongue, getting closer to the edge. With one hand she kept gripping his hair, and with the other, she grabbed the corner edge of the counter, her knuckles whitening. 

Jughead had begun sucking on her clit, taking one hand and slipping one finger in her while he did so. Her chest had begun to rise and fall at a faster pace, her breath caught in her throat. She felt like she was going to break. Oh, she was _so_ close to breaking. 

"Jughead," she gasped abruptly. "I-" His eyes flicked up to hers, showing no mercy as his tongue flicked against her all the more intensely and his finger moved in and out of her more swiftly. She squeezed her eyes shut, but she could still feel his eyes on her. With another stroke of his tongue, she crumbled apart, like a whip. She shuddered violently and with one more gasping moan, she found her release. 

Silence followed, and though Jughead's mouth was no longer _on_ her, she could feel his hot breath brushing against her core. When she opened her eyes, he stood up, wiping his mouth softly, and giving her a wicked look. His eyes were full of hunger, even more so than before. He moved between her legs, dipping his head low so their breath mingled. His gaze fell so he was looking at her breasts, slowly rising and falling in time with her breathing, sweat beading just between them. His eyes swept up again to meet hers. 

Suddenly his mouth was on hers again, and she was wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and hooking her legs around his waist. She could feel the brush of his length below, hard and warm against her inner thigh. He groaned into her mouth, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him, closer to the edge of the counter. She could taste herself in his mouth, warmth pooling between her legs once again. A soft gasp escaped her when he pulled away from her mouth and moved down her neck, kissing as much skin as he could. Betty tilted her head, exposing more skin for him to get his mouth on. 

Her hands found the hem of his shirt, and she tugged upwards, wanting to feel every inch of his skin against hers. He paused momentarily to pull his shirt off, and then toss it to the side before his mouth was on her neck again, like a magnet. Betty let her hands drift across his torso and stomach, feeling the knots of muscle, and hot skin. He was so _hot_. She was, too. She _aware_ of every inch of skin his tongue explored, goosebumps left in his wake. She could still feel him pressed against her inner thigh, ever so subtly moving her leg against him. He let out another groan, his teeth grazing her neck. 

"Jughead," she moaned, that infuriating ache building in the sensitive spot between her legs. He must have heard the pleading in her voice, because his hands scooped underneath her thighs and he picked her up, forcing her legs to lock around him and carrying her down the hall. She kept her arms around him while they kissed, these kisses different than before. This time he was kissing her slowly and thoroughly, his tongue moving passionately against hers. 

She was vaguely aware of the clinking sound that was his belt and pants falling all the way down his legs, abandoned in the hall as he simply stepped out of them and carried her into his bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind them and gently laid her down on his bed, crawling over her and settling himself between her legs. Within seconds their mouths were attached once again. 

Jughead grabbed her thigh and squeezed, running his hand up and down, leaving a sizzling sensation in his wake. She moved her hips slightly against him, earning a groan from deep in his throat. He dropped her thigh and then pulled away from her, looking down between them. She kissed his neck, sprinkling light feathery kisses all over her skin. A sudden moan left her when she felt the head of his length rub up against her entrance. She looked down, her forehead resting against his, and watching as he teased her. She bit her lip, looking up and letting her gaze meet his. 

"Is this okay?" he asked softly, his husky voice surprising her. She realized what he was asking. It was written in his eyes. He was asking her for permission. The act shouldn't have surprised her as much as it did. She would worry about _that_ later. 

She realized he was starting to pull away, mistaking her surprise for hesitation, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him back. "Yes," she whispered. His eyebrows raised slightly, and her lips parted slowly. When they continued to stare at each other unmoving like that, Betty broke the silence. "Are you going to fuck me or not?" she snapped. 

He grunted in response and she was about to say something else when she felt him. He swallowed her gasp by taking her mouth in his, while he slid into her abruptly. Betty dug her fingernails into his shoulders and bit his lip. She opened up to him, and he just kept coming. When he was all the way in, she felt so _full_. 

"You want me to fuck you?" he whispered into her ear. She couldn't even respond because then he was _moving_. He started out slow and little, pulling his hips back and thrusting into her. A small moan escaped her and she dropped her head back onto the pillows, wrapping her legs around his waist. He dropped his head and began kissing her collar bone while he picked up the pace. 

Jughead let out a groan as he moved back and then thrust into her _harder_ , repeating the process over and over again. Betty ran her fingers through his hair, her breath caught in her throat. Both their skin was slick with sweat, a line dripping down between her breasts. He grabbed her hip, steadying her while he moved, in and out of her. Her catchy breaths were turning into continual moans as her head tilted back, her mouth wide open in pleasure. She opened her eyes just in time to see Jughead drop his head onto her chest, watching himself disappear inside of her, only to reappear a second later. 

He moaned gruffly, his hand slamming against the headboard of the bed. Betty placed her hand on the side of his neck, turning his face towards her and crashing her mouth into his, rubbing her tongue against his. He kissed her back messily, while she glided her hand through his hair, her other hand grasping onto his back. His thrusts were becoming more intense and rough with each one, and Betty couldn't stop herself from moaning into his mouth. Her nails were starting to dig into his back, dragging downward. 

Jughead moved so his face was buried in the crook of her neck, the wood of the headboard groaning under his grip. "Jughead," Betty moaned, his name barely more than a gasp on her lips.

"Fucking hell," he muttered into her neck.

Leaning down, he kissed the sensitive spot on her neck before moving lower, kissing both her breasts before he moved his mouth over one, his tongue sliding over her nipple. She squeezed her eyes shut, stifling another moan while he took her nipple into his mouth, massaging her other breast with her hand and moving into her at the same time. "I like making you moan," he groaned into her ear. Betty's breath hitched in her throat. 

He lifted his head and hefted her leg onto his shoulder, so it dangled. He spread her thighs farther apart and slammed into her, her sounds filling the room. She felt like she could burst at any moment. Jughead bit his bottom lip looking down at her, the hungry gleam in his eyes never leaving. He sat up more, moving his hips easily against her thighs. Their bodies began to make slick, wet sounds each time they collided. A shiver went through Jughead, his movements more prominent. He turned his head, kissing her leg as he locked his eyes onto hers. A strand of inky black hair had fallen onto his forehead. 

Just as Betty began arching her back off the bed, he reached down and brushed his thumb over her clit, earning a sudden cry from her. Her shoulder blades rolled, and she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood while he rubbed the bundle of nerves. Betty grabbed Jughead from around the neck, suddenly _needing_ him close. She pulled him down so his slick chest was against hers and she was devouring him. His arms slid under her, cradling her and steadying her while he pistoned in and out of her. "I like making you moan," Jughead grunted out. 

Suddenly she forgot her own name. She could only remember _his_ name. That was what she was moaning over and over again like a chant. Her orgasm came so suddenly, toppling her off the edge. She cried out one more time before her whole body shuddered and she came. Jughead kept going, his thrusts quickening, his body becoming hard under her hands. It was only a few seconds later when he groaned and his whole body shook. She felt a sudden warmness in her lower stomach, right as Jughead relaxed against her, letting out an exhausted breath. 

It was silent, except for their heavy breathing. Betty looked down to see Jughead's eyes closed, his head resting against her chest. Her knees were propped up, and he was still between them. He groaned, lifting himself up and gently pulling out of her. She winced with the movement and he looked up at her, his features softening. 

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, his voice hoarse. She looked up at him and shook her head reassuringly. He looked relieved before laying down on the bed next to her. She went to his side, resting her head on his chest and fitting perfectly against him. She frowned. 

If she weren't so tired and every muscle in her body didn't ache, she might have been overwhelmed. Jughead was... rough. Until it came to getting her consent or making sure he hadn't hurt her. Her mind drifted to Malachi, but she quickly shut that down. She didn't want to think about that or compare. Not right now. 

Jughead stroked her hair with one hand and drew circles in her back with the other. She liked the feeling of being held. She shifted so her leg was draped over one of his and closed her eyes. She felt the blankets come over her and smiled lazily. Jughead kissed the top of her head in return. 

"Betty?" Jughead whispered in her ear. 

"Hm?" She kept her eyes closed. 

"Do you remember the guy from the club? The one who slipped something into your drink?" he asked, his voice still hushed. Betty almost groaned. _Why_ was he bringing this up? She nodded, her only confirmation. Jughead continued to idly stroke her hair. "I tortured him that night and then had Archie and Sweet Pea drop him off on the side of the highway," he whispered. 

Betty had to fight to keep her breathing even. She didn't respond, hoping he would believe she fell asleep. It must have worked because when a few minutes of silence went by, he kissed her temple and then relaxed, his own breathing turning even. She didn't respond because if she talked, her voice would come out shaky and broken. It was... twisted in a way. But she knew Jughead wasn't insane. No, she'd seen insane with a front-row seat. 

But... he still did it. It was a while ago, but it made her chest ache. She opened her eyes, knowing Jughead was asleep and stared at the window. 

A realization hit her. She just royally fucked up. 


	16. Maid of Honor

Betty woke up expecting the whole last two weeks to be a _nightmare_ and nothing more. But when she opened her eyes and was met with black walls and a closet full of leather and anything _black_ those expectations withered away. She tried to move but couldn't. Everything felt stiff. She realized why a moment later. 

She looked down to see an arm draped over her stomach and felt warm, steady breath against her neck from behind. She turned her head, feeling Jughead behind her, hugging her close to him. She could tell he was asleep by his even, quiet breathing. That didn't stop him from holding onto her as if someone would take her away in his sleep. She was a grown man's teddy bear. She groaned in annoyance. 

Silently, she placed her hand over Jughead's forearm around her stomach. When he didn't move and there was no change in his breathing, she carefully attempted to move his arm. It only tightened in response. Betty frowned, trying again. 

Jughead let out a low groan, shifting behind her slightly. Not a heavy sleeper. Got it. She turned her head to see him moving his own head against her neck. He kissed her shoulder twice before resting his head against her again. She wasn't going to get out of this without waking him completely, she realized. 

"Jughead?" Betty whispered. 

"Hm?" he muttered. 

"I have to pee," she said. She wasn't lying. Her bladder actually felt like it was going to explode. But she wasn't actually going to pee. No, she had to get the _hell_ out of there. The only thing stopping her panic from taking over was the thought of being back in her own home. 

He reluctantly let go of her, turning and burying his face in his pillow. Betty almost let out a sigh of relief. Betty sat up, looking over her shoulder to study him. His back was rising and falling evenly. She hoped he would just go back to sleep. 

Betty looked around for her clothes and then realized they were still in the kitchen. She bit her lip, forcing herself not to think about the events of last night before standing up and leaving his room as quietly as she could. Stepping over Jughead's pants in the hall, she padded into the kitchen and froze. There were clothes everywhere. She ignored Jughead's shirt dropped on the floor right in front of the counter and grabbed her shirt, which laid a few feet away. She put it on as fast as she could before looking for her underwear. 

When she found it, she held it up and realized she couldn't wear it. They were torn. She rolled her eyes before grabbing her pants and shoving the panties in the back pocket before sliding them on. They felt weird, but she didn't care. It occurred to her that Jughead brought her there in his car but whatever. She would figure it out. Another horrifying thought occurred to her. How much longer until Jellybean came back from Toni's house. 

Nope, nope, nope. She was _leaving_. Just as she grabbed the doorknob, a throat cleared from behind her. _Fuck_. Betty turned around, leaning against the door. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized Jughead wasn't wearing _anything_ but she quickly averted her gaze, lifting her chin. A smirk slowly spread across Jughead's face. He was leaning against the opening to the hallway, his arms crossed over his arms. 

"Well this is awfully... cliche," he said. 

"I'm leaving." 

"I can see that. Why?"

"Some of us have jobs. Ever heard of it?" Betty snapped, her eyes drifting before she snapped them back up. "Can you put pants on?" 

"It's nothing you haven't seen before," Jughead said simply. Betty's gaze turned murderous. 

" _Jughead_." 

"Fine," he snapped, before disappearing. She hated herself when she instinctively clenched her thighs together while he wasn't looking. Her mind was reminding her of all the reasons why this was so fucked up. Reasons she wasn't thinking about last night. "Better?" Jughead asked when he reappeared. He was wearing pants that sat low on his hips. No, it was not better. 

"Yes," she said with a curt nod. "I have to go, so..."

"Betty." Something in Jughead's tone stopped her. She looked up at him. "What are you doing?" _I don't know_ , she thought. 

"What if someone starts asking where Malachi is?" Betty asked suddenly. Anything heated Jughead had in his eyes while he looked at her was gone within seconds. He cringed slightly at Malachi's name but shook his head. 

"Trust me. Nobody will be looking for Malachi." 

"Penny Peabody might," Betty blurted. She wished she could take it back. She wanted to bolt right there and then. She was just as guilty as Malachi. She was a disgrace to the Ghoulies. Jughead's calm look faded, and with it replaced a look of rage. She just summoned the Serpent King. 

"What did you just say?" he asked, his voice scarily calm. And icy. 

"Nothing. I should go," Betty said, turning and opening the door. 

Suddenly Jughead was right behind her, slamming the door back shut. She almost flinched but stopped herself. He grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around, too close for comfort. She looked up at him. She should have been afraid of him. But she wasn't. 

"What about Penny Peabody?" he demanded. 

Betty took a deep breath. She couldn't lie to him. "Before... before everything, Malachi was meeting with Penny. I think-I think they were planning something against Hiram. But also..." She looked up into his eyes. "You. They were planning something against you." Jughead's jaw tensed. 

"And you're just now telling me this?" he asked. Betty wondered if he used the same voice with the club rapist before torturing him. 

"Sorry I'm not your biggest fan," Betty snapped. 

"Last night tells me otherwise," he said darkly. Betty couldn't help it. She punched him. Her eyes widened when a splinter of pain worked its way into her hand. She gasped, holding her hand. It was the same one she had used to punch him the night before. She shoved past him, shaking her hand and hopping slightly as if that would ease the pain. Jughead groaned, placing one hand on his cheek while he turned around. 

"Shit!" she yelled, opening and closing her fist. Jughead crossed his arms over his chest. He looked vaguely amused though the look of murder hadn't left his features. "Wanna know why I didn't tell you?" she asked abruptly. "Because I don't trust you!" 

When she was done pacing and seething, he spoke. "I don't care how much you hate me," he said slowly. "You know who Penny Peabody is. You know the absolute _hell_ she brings with her everywhere she goes." 

"Give me a break, Jughead! I don't know what you want from me, Malachi was-" 

"I have been dealing with her since I was fifteen years old," Jughead continued, cutting her off. At that, she furrowed her brows. _Fifteen?_ His throat worked as he swallowed. "I expected better from you." Somehow her heart squeezed at _that_. It was the same thing Hiram told her once a weak. Coming from Jughead... it hurt. "I'll take care of Penny. You don't have to worry about a damn thing." With that, he walked down the hall. Betty stared at the space where he had been standing. When she heard a door slam shut, she jumped and closed her eyes. 

When she got home, exhausted from the Uber driver who couldn't seem to get the hint she didn't want to talk, she shut the door behind her, leaning against it and letting out a long sigh. Her head snapped up when she heard a clacking sound come from her bedroom. Eyes wide, Betty ran into the kitchen and grabbed the sharpest knife she could find in a matter of a few seconds. 

She turned around just as a flash of red made an appearance around the corner. Betty yelled just as a high pitched scream sounded. Her eyes adjusted, and she realized it was Cheryl. She had her hands up in a defensive stance, a look of horror on her face. Betty lowered her knife, letting it clatter the floor while she held her stomach in relief. Her bladder was going to _break_. 

"Betty what the-" Cheryl gasped when Betty ran past her, into the bathroom. She was suddenly thankful she wasn't wearing underwear because she got her pants off right away. She could hear Cheryl's heels clacking in the other room as Betty let out a sigh of relief. A second later, Cheryl appeared in the doorway. "Oh, I'm going to _kill_ you," she said. 

Betty took one look at her, and a wide grin spread across her face. Cheryl furrowed her brows, clearly mad. A few minutes later they were both sitting on her couch. 

"I'm going to give you five minutes to tell me why you look like you went to hell and back and where you have been. Veronica has been worrying every day and... Where were you?" Cheryl yelled the last part. "Don't give me a bullshit answer either." 

Betty stared at her. She hadn't thought this part through. There was the car crash excuse, but... it seemed so shallow now. She went with it anyway. "I got in a car crash," Betty said. Cheryl's shoulders caved slightly and she let out an exasperated sigh. 

"I heard but... you never called." 

"I was a little-" Betty paused. "I have to pee again," she said suddenly, getting up and disappearing into the bathroom. She came back a minute later, Cheryl glaring at her. Betty held up her hand, squinting her eyes. "No, we're good," she said, sitting down. 

"Why are you peeing profusely?" Cheryl demanded. Betty cringed. 

"There could be several reasons for that... actually you know what? I don't need a reason. I'm allowed to pee," Betty said with a shrug. 

"Twice in a row?" Cheryl asked. 

"Why are you so suspicious of my urine?" 

"Because you are _lying_ ," Cheryl snapped. Betty recoiled slightly. "You did something."

"What-what did I do?" Betty asked, her panic flaring. 

"You tell me," Cheryl countered. 

They stared at each other for a few seconds, before Cheryl looked Betty over. "Take your clothes off." 

"Excuse me, _what_?" Betty asked. 

"Do it." 

"I'm not going to take my clothes off! Cheryl, I like men-"

"Shut the fuck up and do as I say. I have a feeling about something. You also have a hickey on your neck." Cheryl crossed her arms over her chest expectantly. Betty's eyes widened and she covered her neck immediately. "If nothing happened... do it." 

Betty slowly stood up and stood a few feet away from Cheryl. She cocked one trimmed eyebrow up. Betty gulped. In all honesty, she wasn't sure what she was going to look like under these clothes. She hadn't looked or even realized Jughead gave her a hickey. Fucking asshole. 

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the rim of her shirt and pulled it off, tossing it aside. After that, she pulled her pants off and stepped out. Cheryl's face softened and her pupils dilated as she looked Betty over. Her eyes met Betty's and she stood up abruptly. More panic flooded Betty. 

"Betty... what happened to you?" 

Betty sprinted for her bedroom where she kept a body mirror. Cheryl was close on her heels. She looked in the mirror and gasped, covering her face. Her knees were scabbed. Probably from Sweetwater River. There were fingerprint bruises all over her thighs. Those... those were from Jughead. Her face was bruised from Malachi, there was a hickey on her neck and another one on her left breast. On her palm, there was a red angry line cut across, most likely from gripping the counter edge at Jughead's trailer. A bunch of unwanted imaged flashed in her mind. Cheryl's eyes were wide. Betty looked down, moving her thigh slightly. There were bruises on her inner thighs too. A blush crept on her cheeks. 

"Where did you get those?" Cheryl demanded. 

"Some were... unpleasant. And some were... pleasant," Betty said, running her hands through her hair. She grabbed her robe and wrapped it around herself. She tried not to think about the fact she hadn't eaten in forever and her ribs were more prominent and noticeable. 

"What does that mean?" Cheryl asked. Betty froze and turned around. 

She wanted to tell Cheryl what happened with Jughead. She wanted to so... badly. But Cheryl would tell Veronica. Betty's relationship with Veronica was already strained. Her gut squeezed in unease. No. She couldn't. 

"I was in Riverdale for the past two weeks. I was staying with Polly because Malachi beat me," Betty said. She didn't have to fake the shakiness of her voice. It was only a half-lie. "He beat me... really badly. That's where some of the bruises came from. Polly called the cops and he fled town. I have no idea where he is now. The other bruises... well I met a guy at a bar. Nothing serious, he was passing through. Okay?" 

Cheryl gaped, looking like a fish out of water. She began pacing, popping her nail in her mouth, which was very unlike her. She would never chew on her precious nails. Betty had never really seen Cheryl act like this before. It was freaking her out. 

"Why didn't you-" Cheryl broke off, stopping and putting a hand on her forehead. 

"I'm fine," Betty said. She wanted to sit in the tub and cry. Alone. "Just... don't tell anyone, okay? Not even Veronica. I... I need this to remain a secret. As far as everyone's concerned I spent two weeks in a hospital bed without a phone." 

Cheryl looked like _she_ was going to cry. She slowly nodded. "I'm going to _kill_ him-"

"Drop it. Malachi's gone," Betty snapped. Cheryl snapped her jaw shut. 

"Fine. Fine, but... you have to make an appearance. Veronica's house in ten. Go shower and we will see what we can do about the bruises," Cheryl ordered. Betty almost cried out. She was exhausted and... her whole body ached. Including certain places, she wanted to soak in a bath. She grumbled but walked into the bathroom anyway, shutting the door behind her. She had only gotten a few hours of sleep. It was still fairly early. 

Betty heard a door shut like Cheryl had stepped out for a moment. She took that as an opportunity. Pulling out her phone, she called Jughead immediately. It went straight to voicemail. 

"Listen, I... we need to talk. I know you're pissed at me or, whatever but we didn't discuss what's going to happen." She squeezed her eyes shut. "With Malachi, I mean. I just made up a story for Cheryl and I feel it's important to align our stories. Mine doesn't include you so... figure it out. Whatever you're doing, I deserve to know. And then, we can go back to ignoring each other." With that, she hung up. Her eyes widened. 

Did she seriously just fucking say that shit on a phone call? She slapped a hand over her mouth and dropped her phone, stepping on it. Okay, so probably not the best course of action but she just made a dumb mistake. Now, she had to seek out Jughead in person and tell him it was time for _him_ to get a new phone. Great. Add it to the list of problems. 

Betty's reunion with Veronica and basically _everyone_ else, was nothing worth recalling. Veronica teared up, then yelled, then when Betty told her what happened, was okay. Nobody else had said anything, and Veronica seemed so very relieved to have her best friend back, but while Betty sat in front of the fireplace in Veronica's room, Reggie kept shooting her murderous glares. They hadn't even talked yet, but he was very angry with her. Usually, she wouldn't care what Reggie fucking Mantle thought, but now, a pit had formed in her stomach and she bit her lip when Reggie shot her his hundredth glare. He looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Cheryl and I were thinking Vegas but I don't know. I don't mind a surprise but make sure it's okay with me first. I've always wanted to have my bachelorette party in Vegas anyway. I'll let you and Cheryl handle that, but-"

Betty's eyes widened as she registered what the hell Veronica was saying. " _What?_ " 

Veronica smiled. "Yeah. You've always wanted to go to Vegas too, remember? I think Jughead would like it too-" 

Betty felt panic. Too much panic. The thought of being stuck on a plane with Jughead, and then a hotel with nowhere to go left her flustered and afraid. She didn't _want_ to do that. 

"Uh... I don't know, V-"

"Well I guess I'm not the one planning it. Just throwing out ideas." Veronica sang the last part, grinning at Betty. She tried to smile back but it came out as a grimace. She had been back half an hour and Veronica was talking about wedding plans. Not that Betty blamed her, she had every right to soak in her moment. The wedding was only in four more months. Betty realized she had to get a handle on this whole wedding planner thing quickly. She felt a sinking feeling at the thought. 

Guilt was what she was feeling the hardest. While Veronica talked, she didn't notice the way Betty stared at her, being way too obvious and obsessing over how she was the worst best friend in the entire world. She grew up with Veronica. Her family took her in when she couldn't live with her witch of a mother. How does she repay her? By fucking her fiancé. The guilt hadn't really hit until she saw Veronica. 

"Veronica, come help me!" Hermione Lodge said from somewhere in the house. Veronica popped up and took Cheryl's hand. 

"Be back," she said to Betty and Reggie before dragging Cheryl with her out of the room. 

The room went silent and Reggie's eyes were on her, his brows lowered. Betty fidgeted slightly. When the silence got too much, she cleared her throat. "So-" 

"You couldn't have borrowed a phone? From literally anyone? A nurse?" Reggie snapped. Betty's eyes widened. 

"Reggie... were you worried about me?" Betty asked, humor thick in her tone and a smirk forming. He rolled his eyes. 

"Of _course_ I was worried about you. What, you think I'm going to deny it? You were _gone_ for two weeks. Gone. You disappeared. You don't _do_ that shit. You just don't." He looked away, his biceps flexing slightly, and his jaw clenching. 

Betty swallowed hard. More guilt. _Guilty, guilty, guilty._ She was about to make up some stupid story about her time in the fictional hospital, but all she could remember was one thing when she opened her mouth. 

Jughead, buried inside of her, between her legs. His mouth on her neck and his groans mixing with her moans as he thrust into her, her back arching off _his_ bed. She closed her mouth, her cheeks getting red. Reggie looked over at her and frowned. She quickly looked away, resisting the urge to press her thighs closer together. _Stop it, stop it, stop it._

"Betty?" Reggie's voice was soft. Betty looked over at him. His features had smoothed out. "I just... you're my friend. We're family, okay?" 

Betty's heart squeezed. Reggie... Reggie was reminding her of Charles. Before she learned he was a complete psychopath. Her throat felt thick. "Yeah. I know," she said, managing to keep her voice even. All thoughts of Jughead were gone because now she was thinking about Charles. The thing that got her the most, the thing she often thought about at night the second before she fell asleep, was that Charles was still alive. She spoke of him as if he were dead as if he no longer existed in this world. But he was there. A shiver went down her spine. It was easy to forget he was breathing the same air as her when her father had died. But only he died. 

"Alright!" Veronica's cheery voice filled the room, drawing Betty's attention. "Who wants to go to the Southside?" 

Betty stared at the raven-haired girl incredulously. 

Of _course_. She could only hope that- suddenly the room began moving. It started out slowly, so slowly that she first thought her mind was playing tricks on her. Then it hit her how long it's been since she last ate. She didn't _remember_. She stood up abruptly, and the three others looked at her. Reggie furrowed his brows and Cheryl immediately looked ready to coddle her. She must not have looked good. 

She couldn't sit back down before her eyelids fluttered shut and her knees gave out. She felt strong hands grip her waist, hauling her back up. She didn't hit the ground but she had been _close_. "Betty?" Betty's eyes flew open at that voice. It sounded like _Jughead_ to her horror. But looking down at her, keeping her steady was just Reggie. She sighed with relief, her eyes closing again. Her stomach rumbled, demanding. 

"Uh, I promised daddy-"

"Just go. We'll meet you there," Reggie snapped, sounding irritated. Betty forced one eye open. She was able to catch the poisonous look Veronica shot Reggie before grabbing Cheryl and stalking away. Betty groaned as her one eye closed. 

"Pain in my ass," Reggie grumbled, bending down and grabbing her legs. She gripped his shoulder as best as she could with one hand. "When was the last time you _ate_?" 

" _Fuck off, Mantle,_ " she rasped. She couldn't see his expression but he didn't say anything. He carried her into another room, she knew that much because she felt something brush her ankle like they were passing a wall. 

"Is she _okay_?" Hermione's panicked voice sounded, echoing a little. Kitchen. 

"She's fine," Reggie muttered. "Come on, Betty. Give me something." He set her down, and she could feel the wood on her back of a chair. She opened her eyes to slits. The room was still spinning and she felt dizzy. She squeezed her eyes shut. " _Betty_ ," Reggie commanded. She groaned and opened her eyes, bracing her forearms on the counter in front of her. Reggie stood there, making sure she didn't fall over before he walked around the island. Betty couldn't find the strength to glare at him. "Hospital, huh?" 

"Suck my-" Betty froze when Hermione strode in from the other room. Betty watched as she grabbed her car keys and then left again. Reggie smirked and then got a water from the fridge before setting it down in front of her. Her arms felt like they were ten pounds. "Does this mean I don't have to go to the Whyte Wyrm?" she rasped. 

Reggie eyed her suspiciously. "No. We're still going. I'm just going to feed you first. Now, drink." He jerked his head towards her bottle of water. She pursed her lips before unscrewing the cap and popping it off. 

"Alright," Reggie said, getting in the driver's seat. Betty felt less like dying. Now, she was just tired. 

"I want to go home," Betty said suddenly. Reggie looked at her with raised eyebrows. 

"What? You're being weird. What's wrong with you? I liked it better when you were forcing me to pull over during our _job_ for greasy food and insulting my manhood," Reggie said. His voice was full of humor, a desperate nudge for the Betty he was more comfortable with. Not... the pathetic mess she was being. 

She slowly turned her head and blinked at him. "I'll go to the Whyte Wyrm. But let me change." _I killed my boyfriend last night, so I'm a little bit of a mess_ , is what she didn't add. She had already showered that morning, but she still felt disgusting. 

"Fine. But seriously, Veronica will kill me if I don't bring you there, so... ten minutes. That's it." 

Betty nodded. "Deal." He slumped and started the engine, and turned the car around. Betty stared out her window. She looked over at Reggie. He looked deep in thought. Letting out a sigh, she decided she wanted to _try_ to be her normal self. "So." He looked over. 

"So?" 

"Did you and Veronica... did something happen while I was gone?" 

Reggie frowned. "No," he growled. 

"Well... _that_ doesn't sound good. What did you do, Mantle?" Betty crossed her arms, forcing her arrogant smile. He glanced at her and rolled his eyes. 

"I..." He hesitated. Something in his eyes flashed, and then he shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing happened." 

He was keeping Veronica's secrets. Suddenly, Betty had a vivid memory from the night before. Malachi had spewed a bunch of bullshit to try to get Jughead mad. None of it worked until he got to Jellybean. But... _The redhead who fucks your bride_. Betty thought Veronica was trying to sneak into _Jughead's_ room in Maryland. Her eyes widened and she looked over at Reggie. He knows. Did Jughead know? Surely he heard everything Malachi said. Did he even _care_? Reggie caught sight of Betty's look and his eyes widened in answer. 

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Panic filled Reggie's voice. 

"Why do _you_ look like that?" she countered. 

"Do you know something?" he asked. 

"Do _you_ know something?" Betty shot back. Reggie looked away from her. 

"No." 

"Good," Betty said, looking straight ahead. "Neither do I." Reggie gave her a knowing look she chose to ignore. 

When he pulled up in front of her trailer, he gave her a warning look before unlocking the doors. "I'll wait," he said, waving her dismissal and looking out his window. Betty nodded curtly and got out. 

Betty sighed as she shut the door behind her, walking over to her kitchen table. Cheryl must have gotten her mail. She ran a hand through her hair, sifting through the envelopes. Bills, an eviction notice, more bills. She dropped each envelope on the table, frowning with annoyance. It was the same every time. Until she got to the last one. She dropped the envelope with a gasp as if it had burned her fingers. Staring at the ground with wide eyes, her chest rising up and down rapidly, she froze. Slowly, so slowly she picked it up. It was from the federal prison. The same one Charles was at. She didn't open it. Instead, she ripped it into a million pieces and tossed it into the trash. She would _not_ read a letter from _him_. 

She walked into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Breathing heavily, she walked into her bathroom and flicked on the light, bracing her hands on either side of the sink and looking at herself in the mirror. She squeezed her eyes shut, but it only made everything worse. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe because someone was choking her. All she could imagine was Malachi, sitting on her legs, his hands wrapped around her throat. In her peripheral, Jughead was writhing, pressing his forehead against the ground, trying to get up, trying and failing. Malachi was _killing_ her. She opened her eyes, the bathroom fading in and out, pressing her hands against her chest. 

She slid down to the floor, gripping her hair and dropping her head between her knees. Make it stop, she begged silently. But there was no one there. It was just her. She was all alone. She heard choking sobs and her head snapped up. It took her a minute to realize it was coming from _her_. She closed her eyes again. 

She had only ever had one panic attack before. And it was when she was seventeen. She had been staying at Veronica's house at the time. She didn't move out until she was eighteen. She had woken up screaming, from a nightmare. Betty hadn't been sure what was real and what was fake. She locked herself in the bathroom, with Veronica begging her to let her in while she cried and rocked back and forth on the floor, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes shut. 

" _Betty_ ," Hiram had commanded. She wasn't sure how he ended up in front of her. She refused to open her eyes or unplug her ears. "Betty, look at me." His voice was cold and steely. She slowly opened her eyes, taking gasping breaths. Her vision was black at the edges. His mouth was in a thin, flat line and he was kneeling in front of her. She was vaguely aware of Hermione telling Veronica to get out in the background. " _Focus._ If you want it to stop, you have to _focus_." 

And she did. She focused on his voice, his cold look, the way she was breathing hard and it was burning her throat. She tasted the saltiness of her own tears on her tongue. He nodded in approval. 

"Good. That's good." Then he waited until her breathing slowed and she stopped crying. Then, he said, "If you want to survive here... if you want him to stop haunting you, you have to stop being _Elizabeth Cooper_." She had frowned and tilted her head. "You're a Ghoulie now. Not a cheerleader. _You_ are Hal Cooper's daughter. And you have a reputation to keep here. _Never_ show this weakness to anybody. Or they will eat you alive." 

And then he left her. 

The next day he granted her the task of assisting Reggie with the Ghoulies who betray him or went against him. The ones who fed his precious information to those. And when she showed a sadistic interest in beating them until they were one nudge away from death, he never let her stop. He _liked_ it. And so did she. That was when she threw away her cheer trophies and stupid sweaters. The same day she stopped refusing to wear the leather jackets with a skull and bones on the back. 

Now, Betty realized she had stopped shaking and crying as she thought of that memory. She wiped her nose, and slowly stood up. She braced her hands on either side of the sink again and looked into her reflection. She wasn't thinking of how Malachi strangled her now. She was thinking of the beautiful sound when his skull cracked as she hit him with that rock. Of the puddle of maroon blood that grew around him. Of the way she pulled the trigger and killed her father. When she looked in the mirror, she was smiling. A sick, twisted smile. 


End file.
